Morgan Wallen surprised fans on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) with “Smile,” a poignant new track that seamlessly continues the narrative and builds on themes of his previous two releases, “Lies Lies Lies” and “Love Somebody.” Like those songs, “Smile” explores the ups and downs of relationships, capturing life’s brief moments and unspoken feelings.
Surprises Fans With Haunting New Song, “Smile”
Known for his ability to blend raw emotion with relatable storytelling, the East Tennessee native paints a vivid picture of a strained relationship, viewed through the lens of today’s filtered and fleeting snapshots. The story unfolds during a night out, where a tipsy friend pulls the couple into a photo, momentarily rekindling a joy that has long been missing.
“I can’t remember the last time/ You looked as happy as you did tonight/ Your tipsy friend grabbed that bartender/ Gave him her phone and pulled us over there with her
He counted to three/ And, baby, I haven’t seen that side of you in forever/ And I hate it’s the truth but, baby, you never do when we’re alone together,” Wallen sings on the first verse before going into the tune’s haunting chorus.
“It was good to see you smile/ Girl, you know it’s been a while/ It was good to see you smile/ Even if it was just for the picture,” Wallen sings on the track’s chorus, which truly highlights Wallen’s falsetto vocal abilities.
Co-written by Morgan Wallen alongside Rocky Block, John Byron, Ernest (ERNEST) Keith Smith, Ryan Vojtesak and Luis Witkiewitz, “Smile” captures modern day love, where photos on social media often showcase a polished version of reality with a couple being all smiles in photos, masking their underlying tension and unhappiness. The lyrics of “Smile” compare the happy moments in pictures to the silent distance that lingers off-camera, creating a bittersweet reflection on the gap between the love we dream of and the reality we face.
“They say a picture’s worth a thousand words/ But you ain’t said onе since you woke up/ Silly me, thinkin’ wе could make it work/ Can you blame me for getting my hopes up?/ You know it took me right back to how it used to be/ Baby, seeing us like that is still a little bittersweet,” Wallen continues to sing on the second verse.
Watch Morgan Wallen’s “Smile” Music Video
“Smile,” which dropped as a surprise after Wallen teased the track in early August of 2024, also came with a music video directed by Justin Clough, which is a rare offering for the East Tennessee native.
The clip begins with Wallen sitting in a green room backstage at a makeshift late night television show, Dark Til Daylight, preparing for a New Year’s Eve performance as tension builds with his onscreen girlfriend, who is also seated in the room. However, Wallen decided to go off script and debut a brand-new song for his performance, which had producers of the fictional show concerned for their ratings as the slow song didn’t fit the upbeat vibe of a New Year’s Eve celebration. But surprisingly, the impromptu performance of “Smile” ultimately lead to a surge in ratings for the late night show, hosted by Barstool Sports’ Caleb Pressley.
Midway through the two-time 2025 GRAMMY nominee’s performance alongside his full touring band, his girlfriend enters the studio to watch some of his performance before leaving the set and presumably exiting the production space. Wallen concluded his performance as the clock struck midnight, and he headed backstage to his green room, where he expected to find his girlfriend, however she left, and he rang in the New Year alone.
Did Wallen Reveal The Name Of His New Album? Dark Til Daylight
“Smile” follows the release of “Lies Lies Lies” and “Love Somebody,” all of which are expected to appear on Wallen’s forthcoming, yet-to-be announced new album. While Wallen hasn’t yet shared any details on his fourth studio album, fans think he revealed the project’s title within the music video for “Smile.” Throughout the video, there are several references to the words Dark Til Daylight, which many believe could be the name of Wallen’s next album, following One Thing At A Time.
Sand In My Boots Festival 2025
Morgan Wallen closed out 2024 with his record-breaking One Night At A Time World Tour, which spanned 87 shows, 57 stadium dates and 10 countries across two years.
Additionally, Wallen currently only has one tour on the books for 2025, which is in May when he hosts his inaugural Sand In My Boots Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Sand In My Boots Festival will feature a headlining performance from Wallen as well as Post Malone, Brooks & Dunn and HARDY, with additional guests including Riley Green, Bailey Zimmerman, T-Pain, Diplo, Wiz Khalifa, The War on Drugs, 2 Chainz, Chase Rice, Three 6 Mafia, 3 Doors Down, Ella Langley, ERNEST, Morgan Wade, Moneybagg Yo and more. For more information, visit the festival’s official website at www.SandInMyBootsFest.com.
