Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Recent post-Voice music releases include songs from four country artists we met on the show.

Jordan Rager released an EP on Friday, while The Swon Brothers, Shelbie Z. and Patrick Thomas all dropped new songs.

Here’s a bit about each of those new releases.

The links take you to the songs on Apple Music. Or you can check out the Spotify snippets below.

* Jordan Rager from Season 2 released a four-song EP called “Habits and Hearts” on Friday. He says he co-wrote all the songs during an 11-month period in 2018. In fact, Jordan admits he nearly forgot about the song “Want Me to Want You” and credits his dad for reminding him how much he loved it when he first wrote it. The title track is about how hearts and habits don’t break the same. Breaking habits formed with someone during a long-term relationship are even harder to break, Jordan said. “It’s like relearning how to live your life.” A third song, “Somebody’s Summer” — about a summertime fling — had been released as a single back in May. Jordan explains the process behind each song on Instragram.

* The Swon Brothers released a single called “Drink You Up” on Friday and also announced that it’ll be on their new album “Nashlahoma,” due out Nov. 20. It’ll be the first album from Zach and Colton in six years. As for “Drink You Up,” it was written by the Brian Kelley (Florida Georgia Line), Tyler Hubbard, Corey Crowder, Charles Kelley (Lady Antebellum) and Jordan Schmidt. “This may be the coolest song we’ve released,” Colton says in a message to fans. The album will include 11 songs; six have now been released separately since last summer.

* Shelbie Z. from Season 15 recently released a single called “Love You Anyway.” Her plans to release a post-Voice debut album earlier this year were delayed due to Covid-19. But there’s good news on the Shelbie front. She was just named Breakout Artist of the Year at the Alabama Music Awards. And she and husband Zak are expecting their first baby.

* Patrick Thomas from Season 1 released “On My Way to You” on Friday. The single was written by Chris Gelbuda, Johnny Bulford and Chris Roberts. Patrick, who recently got engaged to Lauren Focht, calls it “our song.” It follows “Love Letters” and “If Moving On Were Easy” as Patrick’s third single of 2020.