Brad Paisley released his new single, “Off Road,” in early February, and the country star gave the debut performance of the song during an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show last week. “It’s really ironic to me that this is the debut,” Paisley told Kelly Clarkson, crediting her and Caitlin Gooch, who was also a guest on the show, for forging on in the face of roadblocks. “They just go their own way, they don’t follow the paved road,” he said, adding that “Off Road” is “for folks like you.”
“It is definitely for folks like me,” Clarkson agreed. “I love it.” Paisley performed the song from his home studio, which fans have seen plenty of times over the past year, as Paisley has put on numerous at-home shows and crashed fans’ Zoom calls early in quarantine. He was virtually joined by his band members, who played from their own socially distant setups. “She’s a little off road / Gravel dust on her halo / I think you oughta know, if you want to ride along, just hang on,” Paisley sang. “Where she’s going ain’t paved / She ain’t looking for a highway / She ain’t gonna stay in her lane / ‘Cause she’s a little off road.”
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“Off Road” was written by Paisley with Lee Thomas Miller and Ross Copperman and is all about a woman who is living life on her own terms. “So I’ve been spending a bunch of time in the studio and I finally got some new music for you and it’s gonna come out tomorrow,” he said in a video announcing the release. “There’s a song called ‘Off Road’ that’s about every girl that won’t stay in her lane, every girl that busts through roadblocks to get where she wants to go. You know who you are, I hope you love it.”
On Sunday, Paisley hosted the Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Country Music special on NBC along with Blake Shelton. Paisley celebrates his 20th year as an Opry member this week, having become the youngest member at the time when he was inducted at age 28. During the special, Paisley performed “Off Road” and dedicated it to the trailblazing women of the Grand Ole Opry. “A lot of Opry history has been made by amazing and brave female artists who refused to stay in their lane,” he said ahead of his performance. “I wanted to sing this tonight for all of the women of the Opry, past and present, who have made this, and the world, such an interesting place. Roadblocks never stopped a country girl, I’d say.”
