Lee Brice made a bold statement with a performance of an unreleased new song, titled “Country Nowadays,” during his three-song set at Turning Point USA’s All-American Halftime Show, which aired at the same time as the Super Bowl LX Apple Music Halftime Show featuring Bad Bunny on Sunday (Feb. 8).
The 46-year-old country superstar delivered high-energy performances of two of his biggest hits, including “Drinking Class” and “Hard to Love,” and introduced fans to a brand-new song, “Country Nowadays.”
“Charlie, he gave people microphones so they can say what was on their mind; this is what’s on mine,” Brice said, introducing his emotional performance of “Country Nowadays.” Holding his acoustic guitar and standing at his microphone stand, Brice delivered an emotional performance of the new song.
Throughout the track, Lee Brice expresses his frustration about how hard it can be to live a country lifestyle in a world that doesn’t always understand his values. He focuses on just wanting to enjoy simple things in life, like fishing, driving his truck, having a beer, cutting the grass, and spending time with his dogs, while feeling pressured by cultural debates, criticism, and political tensions.
“I just want to catch my fish, drive my truck, drink my beer/ and not wake up to all this stuff I don’t want hear/ Like the same kind of gun I hunt with/ just killed another man/ only thing mine ever shot was/ a deer from my deer stand/ I just want to cut my grass, feed my dogs, wear my boots/ not turn the TV on, sit and watch the evening news/ be told if I tell my own daughter that little boys ain’t little girls/ I’d be up the creek in hot water in this cancel your ass world,” Brice sang on the song’s opening verse.
He then delivered the chorus: “It ain’t easy being country/ in this country nowadays/ the directions, the finger pointing/ when everything goes up in flames/ saying I’m some right-wing devil/ because I was down South Jesus raised/ it ain’t easy being country/ in this country nowadays/ in this country nowadays.”
Brice then highlighted how his faith, support for law enforcement, and traditional small-town views are sometimes labeled as extreme in the final verse.
He ended his performance with one last verse, “I just want to cut my grass/ watch my game, say my prayers/ not get a picture of a flag up in flames while people cheer/ oh, the same one my granddaddy fought for/ stomped on like his tracks/ and I’m a downright hateful monster/ that back the blue and badge/ it ain’t easy being country in this country nowadays/ the direction, the fingers pointing/ when everything goes up in flames/ saying I’m some right-wing devil/ because I was red letter Jesus raised/ it ain’t easy being country because I have my morals/ and a small-town point of view/ you assume that you don’t like me/ means that I don’t like you too/ it ain’t easy being country in this country nowadays.”
Following his performance, Lee Brice took to social media to announce that “Country Nowadays” will be released on all streaming platforms on February 19. Pre-save the song now HERE.
Ahead of his performance at the All-American Halftime Show, Brice teased the unreleased new song during an interview with Breitbart News. At the time, Brice revealed that the track is “very important” and it will appear on his forthcoming new album that is expected to feature 30 tracks.
He also opened up to explain his reason for participating in the event. “I didn’t get asked to play the other Super Bowl, but I did get asked to do this and be a part of something that I believe in… I’m like, ‘This is going to be so much fun,’” he shared. “Standing up and being a part of something that is who I am and is Brantley and Bob (Kid Rock) and Gabby, we are truly all excited… And Charlie Kirk wanted everybody to have a microphone, and it’s got a celebration of…what he believed in and what he brought to the table. And I’m just proud. I’m proud to be an American, and I’m excited. I’m a musician. I get to go play music.”
Turning Point USA’s All-American Halftime Show also featured performances from Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, and Gabby Barrett. The event aired on February 8 on TPUSA’s YouTube, X, and Rumble channels, The Charlie Kirk Show’s channels, and via Sinclair Broadcast’s OTT channel “CHARGE!,” as well as Daily Wire+, TBN, Real America’s Voice, NTD, and OANN.
