The Destination Country network are thrilled to share with you the premiere for Riley Smith’s new single ‘Chocolate’ that will drop tomorrow, Friday May 22nd. Smith reveals his romantic side in this mini love story, shot artistically in Chicago – the place which inspired the video, after spending time living in the ‘Windy City’ near Blommers chocolate company.
Actor, singer and songwriter, Riley Smith – familiar to many for his stint in the popular TV show ‘Nashville’ – brings a unique and stunning blend of country rock, soulful Americana and modern pop, to create a rare, smooth and compelling blend. While co-starring on the smash hit “Nashville,” Smith recorded and performed six songs on the series. One, a duet with Connie Britton sung in the iconic circle at the legendary Grand Old Opry. Two of Smith’s other songs landed on the platinum selling “Nashville” soundtrack. (“ I Want To Be Everything For You”, “In The Name Of Your Love”). Since Nashville, Smith has also made his name in shows like ‘True Blood,’ ‘True Detective,’ ‘Life Sentence’ and currently on ‘Nancy Drew.’
‘Chocolate’ was produced by the hugely talented instrumentalist Kevin Leach and mixed by John Rausch and Nathan Dantzler. The track sums up the feel and authenticity of Chicago – where the track was written – and sonically, the track pushes Smith into new warm and smooth soundscapes. With his releases and since his stint on Nashville, Smith has dove into different realms of old classic country music, exploring its history and roots, but adding yet more dynamic and divergent sonic scapes. His sound references a wide variety of sounds and styles, resulting in a very organic and relatably diverse body of music. “It’s what I think makes the sound unique and kinda difficult to put in a box.” Smith reveals.
This new single stems from a writers retreat weekend in Chicago. He reveals, “It’s a little known fact, there is a Chocolate Factory in downtown Chicago. And when the wind blows just right, the city smells like chocolate. I had this beautiful high rise apartment with a great view of the world renowned Chicago architecture. I thought, that visual alone would drive creative vision for a song. It turns out, it was another sense that gave me the inspiration. When you hear the song, you can’t help but think about the sweet smell of chocolate….and love in the air.”
“Chocolate” is Smith’s 2020 debut single. In 2019, in addition a busy acting schedule, Smith released four singles. The first, “Radio” garnered attention from Billboard Country. In 2018, while appearing on the CW’s Life Sentence, Smith’s singles “Hang” and “I’m on Fire” were featured on the drama series (the latter reached the #1 country music video on CMT’s Taste of Country in addition to being featured by The Boot and Sounds Like Nashville.
The song “Chocolate” will be available on all platforms while the music video will be available on Smith’s Youtube Channel, RileySmithOfficial.
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