Chase Rice Used His Faculty Soccer Mindset to Assist Conquer Nation Music

Chase Rice has lived a full and well-rounded life earlier than turning 40—and earlier than establishing himself as certainly one of nation music’s hottest voices. Rice’s résumé contains elite school soccer athlete with NFL aspirations to a actuality TV star—ending runner-up on the hit TV sequence Survivor, Nicaragua. Alongside the best way he additionally earned a pair of NASCAR Dash Cup championships as a pit crew member for prime driver Jimmie Johnson.

Now the previous North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker’ drops his seventh album, Go Down Singin’, which he calls his finest work but. This comes after his earlier private fave, the uniquely titled 2023 album I Hate Cowboys and All Canines Go to Hell.  Over a decade after he began his pursuit of music greatness, Rice, who simply turned 39, is assured on this newest launch.

“This album is my favourite album I’ve ever completed,” Rice says, “as a result of it’s actual, it’s private, it’s nice songwriting, it’s storytelling, and it’s nation.”

Rice’s entry into nation music is something however bizarre. As he rehabbed an ankle damage that finally lower his soccer profession quick, Rice turned to the web for DIY guitar classes. After studying a number of chords, Rice turned a low second of his life (his father had additionally handed away on the time) right into a nation music alternative. Rice has developed right into a profitable singer-songwriter who continues to depend on a hard-nosed work ethic—much like the dedication that helped him earn a beginning spot at UNC. Whether or not it’s shifting up the charts, or preserving match, Rice is aware of the method going ahead will all the time be a steady grind.

“Different persons are extra proficient than me,” he admits. “Morgan Wallen is a manner higher singer than me. Zach Bryan’s a manner higher poetic songwriter than me… So what can I do higher than [them]? That’s the aggressive aspect of this. However I’m simply attempting to be the perfect model of me.”

Chase Rice Enjoys the Out of doors Life

Rice plans a tour within the spring of 2025, throughout that point he’ll even be engaged on songs for his subsequent album. The delay he says is to permit his followers to soak within the album. “I’m going to provide the give individuals time to study the album and actually dig into it,” he says.

However whereas he doesn’t hit the weights as typically or intense as he did throughout his enjoying days, Rice, who additionally owns a buffalo ranch exterior of Nashville, does use his time away from the stage to benefit from the outdoor.

“I’ll be elk searching, deer searching, duck searching with my canine,” he says. “When winter rolls round, I’ll snowboard, and I’ll have time to write down a whole lot of songs.”

One expertise that also stands out to him personally was a rucking journey with famend bow hunter Cameron Hanes, which included carrying a boulder up a mountain. Rice stated Hanes took it straightforward on him, nevertheless it was nonetheless one thing he recollects fondly whereas acknowledging how intense it was.

“He’s an absolute animal,” Rice says. “He may’ve smoked me, however he didn’t. Cam’s man. He’s been an enormous affect on me.”

Carrying a boulder up North Carolina’s Mount Pisgah was tough, he says, however like each different problem, Rice has discovered methods to regulate and succeed when confronted with robust types of adversity. His knowledge might be utilized to each bodily and life challenges.

“You bought to be smarter than all people,” Rice says. “You bought to be work more durable and be smarter than all people.”

He used to use that precept on the gridiron and at first of his music profession, however now he invests extra time and vitality into himself with out concern for out of doors components.

“I simply wish to bust my a** and make the perfect music that I could make,” he says.  “That’s the one probability that I’ve to be the perfect artist and the perfect person who I might be, and that’s the place I’m at.”

Eternally a Soccer Mentality

Rice’s hard-nosed mindset was cast partially due to the burden room. He spent a whole lot of time lifting for his school coach at North Carolina, and every thing had a objective—get higher to carry out higher.

“We did a whole lot of bands, a whole lot of squats. a whole lot of energy cleans,” he says. “[Our coach] was massive on fast-twitch muscle groups. Something we have been doing that was fast and quick, that was large, which I don’t do anymore, and I have to get again on.”

Rice not works with that coach, however he by no means misplaced that fireside for coaching. He began working at a CrossFit health club and met the proprietor, who grew to become his coach through the pandemic. That coach is now on the highway with Rice and his crew working in a administration place. The exercises contain extra body weight and bands than plates and bars. However the work continues to be difficult and rewarding whereas he maintains a weight of round 205 kilos.

Chase Rice defined, “I’m simply attempting to optimize my physique now, versus being a loopy match dude. I simply wish to be in good condition.”

Getting ready to get onstage is far totally different than placing on the pads and taking the sector. However there are nonetheless many individuals watching him do what he does, and he by no means loses sight of that. The primary distinction is as an alternative of getting ready his physique for the collisions each down, he’s getting ready his voice to encourage and entertain the followers.

“I wish to be optimum whereas I’m up there on stage and be capable to sing and provides the individuals the perfect present that I can. So, yeah, it’s a recreation day,” he says.

Rice continued by explaining that the mindset is kind of totally different as effectively. “Soccer, it was do your job and be an absolute murderer on the defensive aspect of the sector. That’s the objective. And music just isn’t that it’s very it’s creative, it’s feeling, it’s vulnerability, it’s being essentially the most actual model of your self.”

Chase Rice is a DIY Nation Music Star

Rice’s expertise on the guitar truly got here to him whereas he was recovering from an ankle damage. He began studying from watching YouTube movies, then a pal confirmed him some chords. These chords finally grew to become part of Florida Georgia Line’s hit tune, Cruise, which grew to become his first No. 1 tune as a co-songwriter. Regardless that he’s thriving in nation music, he’s nonetheless a pupil in his thoughts.

“The method continues to be taking place, which is the loopy half, like I’m studying new s*** each day on these new information.”

His dedication to the method and success he has seen in recent times goes again to that linebacker mentality—do no matter it takes to win, and don’t contemplate some other consequence.

“I’ve not had a plan B since I began doing this, which is a large a part of it.”

That mentality goes to be helpful as Rice enters future phases of his musical profession. He’ss at the moment a free agent as an artist. He just lately ended his file take care of a earlier label and is now exploring selling himself and his music independently. He’s not one for self-promotion however is adjusting to it.

“I logged into TikTok [receently] for the primary time in my life,” he admits

As Rice did on the sector, within the weight room, and on his boulder-carrying journey with Hanes, the end-goal is what issues, and Rice’s present objective is evident.

“What’s necessary to me is individuals liking my music, coming to reveals and sing alongside, and us having time.”

Rice’s new album is offered to pre-order now. You possibly can observe him on Instagram @chaserice.