Garth Brooks Praises Luke Combs In A Heartfelt Message After His 2021 Time100 Next List Achievement

Luke Combs earned his rightful place among many artists on the 2021 Time100 Next List, a list that “highlights 100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future.”

GRAMMY-award winning country superstar Garth Brooks penned a heartfelt message to Combs upon making the Time100 Next List.

“In this age of self-promotion, Luke Combs is letting everybody else do the talking for him,” Brooks said of Combs to TIME. “That’s big in country music, which is all about sincerity and humility. And — despite his achievements, including winning Best Album at the 2020 Country Music Awards — Luke has both of those in spades. He realizes that being a star is not up to him: the people will confirm it.

“Everything Luke tries — from Brooks & Dunn to classic country, neoclassic country and today’s country — he sounds very much at home. He’s a singer who you can tell is really comfortable,” Brooks added. “If I could pull him over and tell him one thing, it would be to just keep doing what he’s doing. Just follow that music. What resonates with him will resonate with the audience, with me, with everybody who’s listening.”

After enjoying a multi-week No. 1 with his tenth consecutive No. 1 single “Better Together,” the singer is set to have his fan-favorite track “Forever After All” impact Country radio on March 8.

Additionally, several other artists appear on the Time100 Next List including Dua Lipa, Lil Baby, Phoebe Bridgers, Chloe X Halle, Amber Ruffin, Misha Green, Anitta and many others.