'American Idol' Country Crooner Dillon James Releases New Acoustic Song

Samantha Agate Samantha Agate
Samantha Agate

Samantha Agate is the Talent Guru here at Talent Recap. Her work has been featured at The Blast. Samantha graduated from Hunter College in 2019 with a degree in Media Studies and a Concentration in Journalism. When she isn't binge-watching reality television shows or binge-eating fried food, she loves hanging out with her friends and family and petting puppies.


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| September 10, 2021 Dillon JamesAmerican Idol/YouTube

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Dillon James is captivating fans with a live acoustic performance of his newest single, “Born To Die.” The American Idol Season 18 finalist has been working hard all summer on new songs. It has been a big year full of change for him since competing in the competition and moving to Nashville.

Dillon James Impresses Fans with Country Song ‘Born To Die

The video starts off with Dillon strumming the tune on his guitar. The sound of the fire crackling in the background is so peaceful. This song sounds like it should be on the soundtrack of a movie. His authentic country sound has not changed at all since his time on American Idol. He earned the love of the country voters with his incredible story. The love from his fans is still going strong over a year later.

“Born To Die” is very simple in terms of vocals. There are no big runs or high notes and that is what is so great about it. The song is not overdone which allows you to really focus on the meaningful lyrics. It’s clear that Dillon is staying true to himself as an artist.

Dillon struggled with drugs and alcohol abuse in his early 20s. He ended up out on the streets before turning his life around with the help of his family. At the time of his American Idol audition, Dillon was two years sober and working for his father’s asphalt company. Now, he’s a full-fledged country star on the rise.

Dillon moved to Nashville in December 2020 after signing a record contract with Universal Music Group Nashville. The deal is in partnership with Hollywood Records. This is why he did not return for the American Idol comeback episode. He also signed a management deal with The Core Entertainment.

Is an Album Coming Soon?

Dillon announced plans to write and record his debut album when he announced that he had been signed to a label. Based on the hashtags he has been using on Instagram, “Born To Die” is the first of many upcoming acoustic releases. He has teased several original songs on Instagram over the past year including “See You Around” and “Get Out Of My Way.”

“Changing lives one view at a time,” one person commented on YouTube. “Love this beautiful song so much. Dillon sings it from a true place of understanding.”

Fans that follow him on social media have been getting their first taste of what his album will sound like. He also brings some rock influences into his music, setting him apart from other country artists. We sense an album announcement coming very soon.

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