Even before the release of his self-titled debut album, Brett Young proved he was a talent to be reckoned with through his songs. “Sleep Without You” and “In Case You Didn’t Know,” his first two singles, went No. 1, and a third release called “Like I Love You” is headed down a similar path.
That debut album went gold, “Sleep Without You” went platinum and “In Case You Didn’t Know” went platinum twice over — and Young shows no signs of slowing his trajectory.
“I’m just doing what I love so it’s cool to see this music mean something to other people too,” he says. “I’m so honored and thankful for the support of my fans, my team and country radio for making all of it possible.”
Taste of Country has narrowed down the country singer’s six most emotional songs. While it was difficult to do, as each is so unique with heartfelt lyrics and his striking singing style, here are six songs we think will survive the test of time.
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“Sleep Without You”
Young hit the ground running with the infectious “Sleep Without You,” his debut single. The sweet sentiment has the singer surprised at how his life has changed since meeting his lady. Now, he finds himself waiting up for her to come home at 2AM. Tossing and turning, he just can’t seem to sleep without her. It’s the sweetest!
- 5
“Olivia Mae”
On this heartfelt ballad, Young takes the listener through the stages of a relationship. In the first verse, he wants to get to know Olivia Mae, buy her a drink and call her sometime. As each verse progresses, his love grows deeper and deeper. And, the clever wordplay for the girl of his affections and the need to ask her a question is refreshing. “Olivia may I ask you a question / What are you doing for the rest of your life?” he sings on the final verse.
- 4
“Mercy”
This piano-driven ballad has Young begging for mercy from his ex after a breakup. Instead of calling him when she’s drunk and lonely, he cautiously asks her to put the phone down. “If you’re gonna break my heart just break it / And if you’re gonna take your shot then take it / If you made up your mind then make it, make this fast / If you ever loved me have mercy,” he croons on the chorus. Ugh, painful.
- 3
“Hallelujah”
Young chose Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” to cover during Taste of Country RISERS video shoot, and it was mesmerizing. With the help of two acoustic guitars, his stripped-down version highlights his emotive vocals and tugs on the heartstrings. Keep the tissues close by for this powerful performance.
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“Like I Loved You”
In “Like I Loved You,” Young is struggling with a breakup when his ex tells him she still wants to be friends. “By the way you’re talking you would think / You never had any real feelings for me,” he laments. As he explains, “You never loved me like I loved you.” It’s songwriting at its finest — Young’s honesty and vulnerability is refreshing and sincere.
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“In Case You Didn’t Know”
While Young’s songs of heartache speak to the soul, so do his ballads of love gone right. On “In Case You Didn’t Know,” Young sings of how much he loves his significant other. And he wants to make sure she knows exactly how he feels and that he can’t live his life without her. It’s a sweet sentiment and something we all should share with the ones we love, too.
This Article Was Originally Posted at www.TasteofCountry.com
