At just 25 years old, Eddie and the Getaway is redefining what it means to be a rockstar with heart. With his brand-new EP Tumbleweeds & Nicotine out now, the genre-blending artist is blurring lines between country storytelling and early 2000s rock rebellion — all while baring his soul in every lyric.
The project is a collision of raw vulnerability and pure adrenaline, something Eddie says he set out to capture from the very first writing session.
“I wanted to capture something that combined the energy of our live show, but also felt like you were right in the room with me writing these songs,” the Arizona native tells Celeb Secrets in an exclusive interview. “I was chasing emotions like loneliness and pain, but also wanted to have songs that were on the other extreme.”
Those dualities — heartbreak and hope, chaos and calm — are what make Tumbleweeds & Nicotine so gripping. Across six tracks, Eddie explores the tension between who we are and who we’re trying to become, never afraid to sit in the mess of it all.
With co-writes alongside heavy hitters like Ruston Kelly, The Warren Brothers, Jon Nite, and Lindsay Rimes, Eddie soaked up every ounce of wisdom from Nashville’s best.
“The biggest lesson that I took from those writers is to not rush a song,” he shares. “Every single lyric is intentional. They’ve had such great and long careers, so I felt like it was important to take a piece of not only the way they create, but how they live their lives.”
That craftsmanship shines brightest on “Broken Man,” a track Eddie says he hopes fans will replay again and again. “There’s a lot of pain and hurt in the world and that song is about recognizing that emotion — not closing yourself off to the possibilities of happiness to feel better.”
If the EP’s title track “Tumbleweeds & Nicotine” sounds like a metaphor, that’s because it is. For Eddie, it’s a confession, a reflection, and a reminder. “It represents the constant feeling of chasing the next thing while also taking old habits and trying to leave them behind,” he explains. “It’s one of the hardest things in life to do.”
Eddie’s music doesn’t fit neatly into a single box — and that’s exactly the point. His sound fuses the gut-punch emotion of country with the power and pulse of rock.
“A sonic recipe for Eddie and the Getaway is loud, overdriven guitars with emotional lyrics and drums that are constantly trying to break down your eardrums,” he laughs.
Still, while fans compare him to artists like Brantley Gilbert and MGK, Eddie refuses to be boxed in. “I’d rather the fans decide how they want to label me than me labeling myself,” he says. “The most important part of being an artist is not limiting yourself.”
That fearless mentality traces back to Eddie’s younger self: a 15-year-old kid from Phoenix with a drum kit and a dream. “I think he’d be wondering what kind of BS the older version of himself got into to have to write a song like that,” he jokes. “But I think he’d be proud to know that all of the experiences he’s had in his life created songs that hopefully mean something to people.”
What separates Eddie from so many emerging artists is his deep, genuine connection to his 1 million fans across social media. And while viral moments helped launch his name, it’s the real-life impact of his music that keeps him going.
“I had one person in particular at a show, a veteran, whose story I think about often,” Eddie recalls. “He came home after multiple deployments, found out his wife had been cheating on him, and felt like there was no purpose in life. He heard one of my songs and decided to keep going. That’s what music is about — having something to lean on when maybe you don’t have someone you can lean on.”
It’s moments like those that fuel his online presence too. “It takes practice, but it’s all about being open and vulnerable — like we’re having a one-on-one conversation through the phone,” he continues.
Eddie’s live shows are a full-body experience — equal parts therapy session and sonic explosion. This fall, fans can experience it firsthand as he joins Dorothy’s Redemption Tour before hitting the road for his own Tumbleweeds & Nicotine Tour. “I want people leaving an Eddie and the Getaway show feeling like we left everything on the stage,” he says. “I want it to be a roller coaster of emotions and almost like a kind of therapy.”
And though his tattooed, tough exterior might suggest a wild man onstage, Eddie’s quick to remind us there’s heart beneath the ink.
“I hope when people meet me on tour, they recognize that I am the guy I talk about in the songs,” he admits. “I have my own problems and issues, and I still try to find a way to cope with them just like everyone else.”
When he’s not creating or performing, Eddie finds his “getaway” in the waves. “Surfing is one of the few things in life that feels like being on stage,” he says. “You almost have to give up control and just let the wave — or music — take control.” And in true Celeb Secrets fashion, we couldn’t let him leave without dropping one behind-the-scenes detail. “I recorded a lot of the EP in my bedroom late at night, probably with some kind of tequila drink by my side,” he confesses with a grin.
For the record, his perfect road trip playlist includes Third Eye Blind’s “Motorcycle Drive By,” Creed’s “On My Sleeve,” and Nickelback’s “Far Away” — a lineup that pretty much says gritty yet grounded; loud yet honest.
Take a listen to Tumbleweeds & Nicotine below and don’t forget to let us know which track is your favorite by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecretscountry.
