James Blunt reveals surprise new version for 'Halfway' featuring country-pop duo Ward Thomas
Leading up to his UK headline tour, singer James Blunt has unveiled a surprise new version of his single 'Halfway' featuring country-pop duo Ward Thomas.
The original track is part of Blunt's latest album 'Once Upon A Mind'. Speaking about the process of turning the single into a duet Blunt said, “I originally wrote ‘Halfway’ as a solo performance, and the original version that appears on my album is just me on vocals. But after we recorded the track, it was obvious that this song was really meant to be a duet all along. Because the track has a real Americana vibe, I knew immediately that I needed the best Country singers I could find. I had to look no further than Ward Thomas, who really deliver a powerful performance on this duet.”
The new version features some stunning harmonies from Ward Thomas that perfectly blend with Blunt's melodic vocals.
Blunt is set to kick off his UK tour on February 14 from Birmingham and Ward Thomas will join him on stage to perform the new track live. The tour will make several stops across Europe, including Manchester, Hull, Newcastle, Glasgow, Nottingham, Cardiff and Brighton and will include songs from Blunt's latest album as well as some classics.
After experimenting with styles over the course of his career, Blunt's latest album, filled with pop songs, ballads and some country influences takes listeners on a journey right back to the beginning. His debut album, 'Back to Bedlam' that included the global smash hit 'You're Beautiful' made Blunt a household name both for his vocals as well as his melancholic sound.
'You're Beautiful' also went on to become one of the earliest memes, and while most singers may have found that disheartening Blunt jumped in on the joke. His self-deprecating humor on social media made him just as popular for his wit and charm as he was for his unique vocals.
Listen to ‘Halfway’ ft. Ward Thomas here. Buy or stream 'Once Upon a Mind' and book tickets to see James Blunt live at the UK tour here.