At this year’s Lollapalooza festival, country music sensation Luke Combs surprised fans with a live performance of Alex Warren’s “Ordinary.” Musically, Combs didn’t stray far from the original structure of the song, but his arrangement added warmth that gave the track a country-soul twist. The live single, featuring Warren himself, is out now for streaming on Spotify, iTunes and Apple Music.
The performance began simply, with Combs under a warm spotlight, accompanied only by a piano. Combs’ deep, gravelly voice added a new dimension to Warren’s lyrics, which speak candidly about feeling invisible, unworthy, and lost in the crowd. His delivery emphasized the emotion behind the song through more of a rough country twang rather than the polished pop heartbreak.
A steady drumbeat wove through the verses, leading up to a swelling chorus. At the close of the first chorus, Warren stepped out onto the stage. He strolls out in a typical laid-back fashion, hand in pocket. One would think he’s singing at a backyard gig and not a crowd of hundreds. The pop artist takes over for the second verse and entices the crowd to play their part, singing loudly for each of the choruses. In a festival weekend packed with big moments and even bigger acts, this collaboration stood out as extraordinary.
Combs is known for showcasing excellent songwriting from up-and-coming acts. He himself was inducted into the Nashville Music City Walk of Fame in March of this year and is the first country star to have two songs reach over a billion streams on Spotify. His latest single, released in July, is “Back in the Saddle.”
