Chris Young on Personal ‘Drowning’ Video: ‘There’s So Many Layers’

Chris Young just made his directorial debut in the emotional video for “Drowning,” his personal song about the loss of his good friend, Adam Carnes. The 34-year-old used real people, holding real photos of loved ones they lost in the emotional video. The performance part of the video was also filmed in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, marking Young’s first return to the venue for a headlining show since the tragic Route 91 Harvest Festival mass shooting in 2017.

“There’s so many layers,” Young shared with PopCulture.com and other media, speaking about the poignant song and video. “Not only with this song, but with the process of making that video. I got the chance to work with Jeff Johnson, who’s on the road with me a lot. He’s actually out with Carrie Underwood right now. I mean, he’s been all around Nashville and and done a lot of videos. Getting to be a part of the directing process with that and really make exactly the video I wanted to make for a song that’s super personal to me.”

Young wrote the song to help him cope with his own grief, but didn’t plan on sharing that part of his life with his fans.

“I didn’t realize it was going to end up being a single,” Young explained. “I knew this was something I was going to cut and put on the record, but the overwhelming outpouring from people and what Sony was seeing; they were like, ‘This is the next thing’ … It’s very different from anything that I’ve done before.”

The Tennessee native is especially proud of the fact that he used real people who had also lost someone close to them in the “Drowning” video.

“Being able to make the video. I wanted it to be that as well,” said Young. “So filming my first time back in Vegas, being there was, was special. The fact that there are no actors in the video, and then all of those people just wanted to come out and bring photos of their loved ones. This song’s already special to me even before it’s a single. And being willing to share parts of their lives on camera like that. I mean, it just hit me so hard watching that the very first time going down and I was like, ‘his is exactly what I wanted to make.”

“Drowning” is from Young’s upcoming Raised on Country album. A release date has yet to be announced. Download the song, and find tour dates, by visiting Young’s website.

Photo Credit: Getty images / CBS Photo Archive