He’s made his name across Nashville and is over the pond, taking Europe by storm. Cody Pennington is set to return to Glasgow later this week with his Cody Pennington: Country Show. We caught up with the Downtown hit-maker ahead of his return to Scotland.
Cody! What a crazy time it is for you now, UK tour, and we’re a few weeks out of the brand-new single (thanks to you) – what kind of reaction have you had from that?
I think it’s good! People are really liking it and I’m beginning to see a lot of reactions live, which is cool, like I’m promoting it throughout the tour and people already know the lyrics – BEFORE the show even happens, which is awesome. I’m still waiting for that one little hook from Spotify, and then we’re done and good!
Well, speaking of Spotify, Downtown has just surpassed over half a million streams, which must feel pretty cool?!
Yeah, that’s surprising for that song. I wrote it in like 10 minutes, like I was talking about this the other day – I write in two different ways – when I can find a hook and build a song off a hook and the way it’s just flowing or when I have 1 hook and I sit down and just go with it.
Downtown, I had an idea, I had a hook in my head, and I thought, let’s just try something, and within 10 minutes it just fell out! So I’m really surprised that a song that took me literally 10 minutes to write has become my most popular and most streamed! Like other songs, I spend months on the words and spend months on everything, and then they don’t get half as many plays – maybe I should just start writing on a whim and see whatever falls out – that should be my plan for the next record!
It’s such a bittersweet success cause it’s great, it’s worked, but you’re like, damn it, why that one!
Yeah, it’s hard because you never know what people are going to relate to. I’m at the point where I’m kind of done toiling over what songs I think will do well and which ones I should release because I like them. No matter how they were written or what the subject is, I’m releasing them because I liked them. That’s what I did with downtown, because I didn’t think it would do what it did – but I liked it and now it’s passed half a million streams, which is not a lot for a huge artist, but for me it’s really, cool.
Oh no, that’s amazing and congratulations! Especially as an artist who’s come across the pond and is experiencing a totally different demand for country music here in Europe. How are you finding it marrying up those crowds? Are the reactions different from what you get in America?
Oh, the US crowds are more traditional in some ways. But obviously, people like Morgan Wallen getting more popular and reaching more people, you do see a difference in the crowd, but temperament-wise, UK, you start to see a good mix of people who just really like a party, but also like singing along to your songs and listening to what we’re putting out, which is really cool, actually. There’s a good mix there because I can stop and play an acoustic track at a show, and people are intently listening and they’re liking what they hear.
But then I can also play a huge party track and everyone goes nuts, so it’s a cool mix. In the US, it seems like they just want to party all the time. But I find the UK crowds are just locked in, if that makes sense?
I love doing things to bring up that real party atmosphere, but the UK crowds know when to listen – that’s why I keep touring the UK, the audience is awesome, and the crowd just keeps growing.
You touched on it there – the UK country scene is still growing; we have major festivals like The Long Road and over the summer we saw 2 sell-out nights for Zach Bryan in London and Garth Brooks next year! But I think we’re also seeing a lot of cross-genre – Post Malone, Beyonce (if we have to mention that album..). But who would be the Cody Pennington unique collab?
Honestly, I never collaborate with anyone, and maybe I should start doing so! Post Malone would be awesome because he has done the transition so well, and he is really respected. The way pop music is going, I think they will start using him as a blueprint because what he has done is incredible!
I mean, obviously, Beyoncé is here or there, you like it or you don’t, I would argue it isn’t completely country, certainly not on the same degree that Post Malone is country, as he has embraced it. But if I had to choose, I’d say Post Malone, or you know what, Taylor Swift!
I’m so here for it!
An artist who could instantly get me millions of streams!
Hey, get your friendship bracelets out, the Cody Pennington Eras tour is here!
Hahahha absolutely!
You’re back on the road now. It must be quite exciting touring again and seeing the fans. What’s been a favourite moment so far?
To be honest, when I’m not on the road, I’m working on all the admin to get back on the road – because we do it all in-house – no agents, no labels or anything. So we’re booking these things – each show is pretty much a year’s worth of work to get to that show. I’m a bit ADHD, and I get more with all the admin, so I’m always eager to get back on the road and do road stuff – then I get exhausted and go back to admin, haha.
But I think this year, my favourite show so far has been Manchester. We have played every single room at Manchester Academy, and this year we played their biggest room, which is like 1700 people, which is insane! It was also the night Post Malone postponed his London show, so we had competition! But that show felt like a crucial moment for us.
That’s incredible, congrats! Doing as many tours as you do, you must see some familiar faces that come back?
Oh yeah! I make a point every show of asking who’s coming back, and it gets more each year – we had a guy the other day rock up with a merch shirt from my first ever tour – like I made that on Vistaprint, that’s crazy!
But it’s been so cool to see the following grow, our first show was 150 people and now almost 2000 in the same place – just wow.
Is there anyone you currently have on your playlist, or someone you know on the scene back home that you think we should keep an eye out for?
Definitely, if we’re talking American artists, James Jaconbson, he is amazing. I wish he got more attention. He supported my show about 2 years ago. He is amazing. It’s really traditional music as well. I don’t think he’s getting the recognition he needs, but 100% check him out! For the UK, we have some great artists over here. Katie Hurt is amazing – if you haven’t seen her live, you have to check her out.
This is one of my favourite things to do: speak to people like yourself and find out who hasn’t made it over here yet, and who we should keep an eye on, so I will get them added to my playlist and hooked immediately!
Honestly, sometimes it’s just the independents who have managed to get success from social media, and sometimes it’s the ones who fall under the radar. It’s tougher when you’re independent, but I think it’s cool when people do it themselves; but it’s a harder gig. That’s what’s kind of a bummer about being independent, you just go out to build your fan base and whoever notices it and likes it jumps on the train and goes along with you – so I think its great when [people ask who I’m listening to or other people give me recommendations cause that’s how you find your next favourite undiscovered artist.
But it happens! And there are millions of artists out there who are incredible and may never be heard. But that’s the name of the game.
100% well, whatever I can do to give them a spotlight, I will! You’ve had a mammoth year already. Before we wrap up, what does 2025 and well, 2026 hold for you and the band?
Well, I’m gonna take some time at home in Nashville, but I’m writing an album at the moment, my first album. I can’t share the idea for it yet, but I have a big idea, and I will see how it goes. I don’t know how it’s going to come together. It might come together terribly!
It’s something special that involves a lot of writing, but we’re also gearing up for our next tour next year, so by the end of this year, we’ll still have singles to come out before we hit Australia.
We have a couple more tours to announce as well, so it’s never-ending, even though it’s the end of the UK tours, it never stops. The ADHD is in overdrive!
Cody Pennington: Country Show hits Glasgow’s O2 Academy Friday 10th October
Thanks you to Cody for taking time out to speak to us.
Interview by Lauren Page
