Warren Zeiders has quickly risen from a college athlete to one of Nashville’s newest headliners at just 24 years old, and on August 25, he’ll release his debut LP Pretty Little Poison via Warner Records. Comprised of 14 tracks, four of which were produced by Bart Butler & Ryan Gore and the other 10 produced by Ross Copperman, the record is part road-warrior, part old-fashioned grit, and a multitude of genre influences that have catapulted him to one of country’s most interesting newcomers. Album track “Tell Me Like It Is” is available now
Zeiders built his audience quickly, yet the old-school way — by taking his music directly to the people, armed with nothing more than his acoustic guitar and gravelly voice. This album Pretty Little Poison shows what he can do with an amplified band, two chart-topping producers and the best music of his songwriting career. The past two years have been a whirlwind period filled with milestones: his first national television appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show; his first national tour, which sold out in 72 hours; his debut performance on the Grand Ole Opry stage; and even his first Top 40 hit on the Billboard charts, all before he began recording his debut album. Maybe that’s why Pretty Little Poison brims with such excitement and self-assurance.
“A lot of this album is about a girl, and a lot of it is about me,” says Zeiders, who fills the album with honest lyrics about life, love, and lessons learned. “I’m paying tribute to that classic country sound, but I’m keeping things modern, too. At the end of the day, I’m just putting my heart on my sleeve and putting myself onstage.”
Zeiders’ muscular brand of country music is as broad as his shoulders, which still bear the evidence of a longtime sports career. “God Only Knows”and “Comin’ Down High” are southern rock anthems built for summertime parties and backwoods joyrides. Songs like “Painkiller” and “Love’s A Leaving” explore the darkness of outlaw country. The bright choruses of “West Texas Weather” and “Some Whiskey” are showcases for his powerhouse vocals, while “Pretty Little Poison” — the album’s title track and lead single — is country music at its most cinematic, pairing dusty western textures with a radio-ready refrain. “Inside Your Head,” written by eight-time Grammy winner Chris Stapleton, makes room for the lap steel guitars and timeless twang of classic country. For Zeiders, whose viral cover of “Tennessee Whiskey” played such a crucial role in his own rise to success, featuring a Stapleton cut on Pretty Little Poison feels a whole lot like fate. He worked with a number of other songwriters, too, co-writing songs with Eric Paslay, Randy Montana, Ryan Beaver, Lee Thomas Miller, Benjy Davis, Austin Taylor Smith, Jarred Keim, and others.
“Faith, family, and athletics were the three pillars of my life, long before I started playing music,” he says. “I haven’t forgotten that. I’m always learning new things — if you stop doing that, you stop growing — but I’m staying true to who I am, too. This album is my story. It’s who I am. It’s who I’ve always been. I may not be playing lacrosse anymore, but I haven’t lost the discipline or focus that I learned as an athlete. I still put in the work. I still push myself. I go onstage and treat it like it’s a game day.”
Zeiders’ Pretty Little Poison Tour “game days” are selling out across the country, and he just performed to a sold-out Ohio Stadium alongside George Strait, Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town. Next week, Zeiders will play the Chevy Riverfront Stage and the Spotify House at CMA Fest, plus he’ll play in the Folds of Honor Rock ‘n Jock Celebrity Softball game.
Pre-Order his new album HERE
