Leave it to Levi Hummon to create a song that will take up some space in your head!
The 31-year-old recording artist is showing fans a new side of artistry with his playful new single “Rent Free,” which he released last month on all streaming platforms.
Tapping into more of the music he grew up on, “Rent Free” is a country anthem that was inspired by Hummon’s ex-girlfriend who was literally living in his home rent free.
“I had the title ‘Rent Free’ in my head, and I just thought it was a funny phrase to say like ‘you’re this thing is rent free in my head.’ I had just gone through a breakup when this song was written, and this person was living at rent free my house before she moved out, so I made this whole idea come together,” Hummon tells Celeb Secrets reporter Juliet Schroder exclusively in a virtual interview.
“There’s a lot of Easter eggs about that breakup in the song — which is fine — but sonically this is kind of where I’m going and it’s the beginning of a lot of cool music. This song just points to kind of who I am. I love Weezer, I love Fountains of Wayne’s ‘Stacy’s Mom’ — all the songs — so to be able to incorporate that and put a little country on it was pretty cool.”
Known for getting creative and collaborating with some of Music City’s most buzzworthy names, Hummon took things to a whole other level for “Rent Free” by doing the most 2020s thing one can ever do — sliding into DMs.
Noting that he’s been a fan of ROZES — who you may know from her work with artists like The Chainsmokers and Galantis — Hummon took it upon himself to cold slide into the Philadelphia native’s inbox in hopes to collaborate with her on the song. Luckily for Levi, the 29-year-old multi-hyphenate loved his idea and the rest was history.
“A really special facet of this song is that one of the co-writers is Roses. She’s featured and wrote the song ‘Roses’ by The Chainsmokers and I had just been a fan of hers,” Levi says while recalling the exact moment he pressed send. “I just kind of cold DMed her on Instagram and I was like, ‘would you like to write a song? I have this dope idea called Rent Free.’ We got together over Zoom to write it and it was pretty cool.”
“Rent Free” is the latest look at what’s to come from Levi, confirming that a full-length project will come out later this year. Continuing to blend his love for rock, alternative, pop and country, the “Wedding Dress” singer says he’s “given up on trying to tell people who he really is” and is letting the songs paint the picture of who he is both as an artist and as a person.
“I’ve finally just given up trying to tell people who or what I am and I’m letting the songs speak for themselves,” Levi shares, “I think the unfun part about music is when you try to tell somebody what they’re not, and the cool part is when you’re inclusive and get to make beautiful music.”
As for if he will continue to work with more artists by connecting on social media… Levi says that he’s still cold pitching some of his favorite acts through social media and hopes to land more fun collaborations like “Rent Free” in the future.
For more on Levi’s music, make sure to watch our interview below and don’t forget to let us know what you think of “Rent Free” by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs at @celebsecrets.
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