Florida Georgia Line have dominated the country airwaves with their robust sound and party-anthem hits. Now with their newest single, the Gold, Platinum, and historic Diamond selling duo are showing country royalty that there’s much more substance beneath the surface with the recent release of “H.O.L.Y.” , the first single off their highly anticipated August album Dig Your Roots.
Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard have taken a step back from their past hits and released a warm and tender hearted single, highlighting a bit more maturity that is comparable to a previous single, “Dirt.” In an interview, the Big Machine Label Group proclaimed that Dig Your Roots was going to be a more mature album, but not taking away from writing or singing what they really feel – when approached with this particular song, they weren’t keen on it in the beginning, but the more they listened to it, the songs deep meaning & power made the decision an easy one to cut the track.
Written by Nate Cyphert, William Larsen, and Busbee is an ode to a man’s love for a woman whom he feels is the only thing he believe’s in. An acronym for “high on loving you,” the ballad is ultimately a testament to their own wives. Kelley’s vocals lend to the heartwarming meaning with ease:
I never meant to cry, started losing hope…
(But somehow baby) You broke through and saved me
You’re an angel, tell me you’re never leaving
Cause you’re the first thing I know I can believe in
Soft gentle guitar strums and crisp passionate vocals from Brian Kelley, added with the background vocals & beautiful piano playing by Tyler Hubbard, frames the maturity in their voices nicely, while the chorus pulls you into the picture perfect description of one’s love:
You’re holy, holy, holy, holy
I’m high on loving you, high on loving you (repeat)
You’re the healing hands where it used to hurt
You’re my saving grace, you’re my kind of church
It’s well written, but BK’s amazing solo, one of 3 he has on this record, lends credence to the passionate meaning of this song. Ty Hubbard’s surprise talent for the ivories, along with background vocals himself, shows that they have a lot more to offer listeners than what one might think! It is close to “Dirt” in as much as the depth, but the production and quality of the vocals is what differentiates the two.
Jumping from No. 39 on Billboard to No. 1 just weeks after it’s release to country radio, “H.O.L.Y.” can be found on Florida Georgia Line’s upcoming Dig Your Roots album.