Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll share John Denver-inspired single ‘Lonely Road’
Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll have shared the music video for their new collaboration, ‘Lonely Road’.
The track, which nods to the John Denver classic with a reworked chorus, was worked on by the pair for 2 years, according to a post made by Kelly on Instagram last Wednesday (July 24).
“8 different studios, 4 different countries, changed the key 4 times, and this Friday you’ll hear we finally got it right,” he wrote.
The Sam Cahill directed video features Jelly Roll and Kelly as down on their luck mechanics, alongside their partners, Bunnie XO and Megan Fox. In a bid to support his pregnant wife, Kelly robs a bank – while Jelly Roll refuses to get involved with a life of crime.
As well as touching on a reliance on alcohol in its lyrics – “When the days feel long and the nights get cold/And I’m thousands of miles away/I use alcohol just to fill that hole/ Will our home ever be the same?” – the video also touches on fertility issues, with Bunnie XO seen clutching a letter with an infertility diagnosis on it.
It’s a topic personal to both couples in the video. Last month, the ‘Need a Favor’ singer and Bunnie XO announced they were trying to conceive their first baby through IVF, and chose to share their journey on Instagram.
Kelly has also addressed Fox’s pregnancy loss in ‘Don’t Let Me Go’. In the song, Kelly raps: “This psychiatrist keeps evaluating / How can I live with the fact / That my hand wasn’t on her stomach when we lost the baby”.
Both Jelly Roll and Kelly praised each other’s efforts on the song, will Kelly writing: “jelly you are living breathing badass and a kindred soul who has shown me the path of redemption and what it looks like to believe in yourself against all odds.
“from us beefing 12 years ago, and fast forward to us putting out what i believe will be the biggest hit of our careers yet im proud to call you my brother and life feels better knowing you got my back. this lonely road ain’t so lonely my friend.”
Jelly Roll shared similar sentiments, also taking to Instagram to write: “What makes this collab so beautiful is its two guys that came from the exact same kinda place with less than zero percent of making it out it. We have known each other for at least 15 years now.
“And in true young dumb fashion it was a tumultuous beginning and basically it’s because I was one of the many people that judged him before I gave him a chance. but over time I’ve had the honor of watching him become one of the biggest artist on earth but most importantly I’ve watched him become one of the best fathers and humans on earth.”
They last teamed up at CMA Fest in June, and Kelly continued his foray into country with a cover of Zach Bryan’s ‘Sun To Me’ last month.
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Poppy Burton
NME
