Photo Credit: Apple Music
Willie Jones releases a cover of Usher’s ‘OMG’ in a new Apple Music Sessions EP, ahead of Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime show.
Louisiana’s Willie Jones has released his rendition of Usher’s “OMG” as part of a new Apple Music Sessions EP, ahead of Usher’s performance at Apple Music’s Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show. To celebrate the release, Jones sat down for an interview with Zane Lowe’s Apple Music 1, as well as being featured on the cover of Apple Music’s New Music Daily playlist.
In addition to his cover of Usher’s “OMG,” the EP will feature as a first-time release the song that brought Willie Jones national recognition on his X-Factor audition, Josh Turner’s “Your Man.” Jones also recorded an Apple Music Sessions version of his newest single, “Dive Bar,” to round out the EP.
Since the release of his debut album, Right Now, in 2021, Willie Jones has garnered 114 million combined streams and over 500,000 followers on social media. The album featured the track “American Dream,” which earned Jones his debut appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. His sophomore album, Something to Dance To, featured the hit “Down by the Riverside,” which landed him on national television once more with a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Named one of the 12 Black Artists Shaping Country Music’s Future by USA Today, Jones’ music laces traditional country soundscapes of banjo, steel guitar, and harmonica alongside his signature “Louisiana hip-hop gumbo.” The resulting sound reflects a man whose upbringing made him into an innovator “who bridges the Block Party and the Barn Dance.”
Jones is in his third year of hosting his highly successful program, “The Cross Road Radio Show,” on Apple Music Country. The program showcases how country and hip-hop intertwine, offering listeners insights into their connection, as well as his own Apple Music editorial playlist.
Most recently, fans saw Jones touring during his Sticks and Swamp Tour with RVSVHD, and at The Bourbon & Beyond Festival and Golden Sky Festival. Soon, he’ll perform at Stagecoach 2024 on Sunday, April 28, for which tickets are now available.