He may have been best known as one-half of The Civil Wars, but John Paul White has gone on to have a successful solo career since the duo broke up in 2014, and he continues this success with the release of his new single in collaboration with Wildo DM on a folk-rock fusion cover of “Big Love” which was originally released by Fleetwood Mac, to huge success. This acts as the follow-up to John Paul White’s feature on Nicole Witt’s single “Kiss”; and this acts as Wildo DM’s debut single.
John Paul White’s musical journey traverses a realm of artistic evolution and creative resonance. Rising from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and nurtured on a Tennessee chicken farm, John Paul White’s early connection with music laid the groundwork for his profound musicality. Co-founding The Civil Wars alongside Joy Williams, their folk-infused harmonies swept global audiences, culminating in four Grammy Awards and two acclaimed studio albums. Transitioning to a successful solo career, John Paul White’s albums “Beulah” and “The Hurting Kind” showcase his soul-stirring vocals and introspective songwriting, drawing devoted listeners into his emotive narratives, with his track from the former album, titled “Hate The Way You Love Me” going on to be a huge success, raking in over 39 million streams on Spotify, alone. Beyond his solo work, John Paul White’s influence extends to his role as co-owner of Single Lock Records, a platform for local artists. His collaborative prowess shines through iconic partnerships, including a re-recording of “Safe & Sound” with Taylor Swift alongside Joy Williams. With an unparalleled legacy of heartfelt melodies and storytelling, John Paul White embodies musical authenticity and innovation, etching an enduring legacy on the musical landscape.
The Swedish production outfit, Wildo DM, had a wide pool of names to choose from to sing this iconic song. They handpicked John Paul White for this project, recognising his heartfelt and powerful vocals as the perfect fit to pay homage to the original version. Talking about their new single, Wildo DM said: “Because the original has its own place in the world, we needed someone as extraordinarily expressive as Lindsey Buckingham to cover this song. We thought of one of our favourite artists, writer and friend JPW. We knew that his amazing voice would bring a new meaning to the song.”
Adding to that, John Paul White said: “I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting a song I’ve loved for ages. It was especially rewarding getting to work with old friends. Very thankful I was asked to be a part of this.”
The original version of this song was officially released by Fleetwood Mac in 1987, going on to become a worldwide hit, where it charted at number four in the Netherlands, number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, within the Top 10 on the Europe charts as well as charts in Belgium, Ireland, and the UK, whilst also becoming a Top 20 hit in many other countries. Lindsay Buckingham originally wrote the track, whilst Wildo DM produced this cover version.
Taking the track in a slightly different genre direction, focusing more on the folk side rather than the rock side of things, Wildo DM has really done a number on this and John Paul White was the perfect choice to sing the track. Flaring up the folk energy and adding some country vibes to the chorus, this version of “Big Love” is a brilliant ode to Fleetwood Mac with John Paul White connecting with the lyrics and expressing them as emphatically as Lindsay Buckingham did back in the ’80s. Focus on the addictive melody that is still extremely catchy today whilst enamouring it into the mainstream, refreshing the groove and bringing the track to a brand new audience. John Paul White and Wildo DM is nothing short of a brilliant collaboration, and they’ve handled “Big Love” with love, care, and respect. This track, both the original and this incredible version, is going to be playing on repeat in our minds for some time.
Stream “Big Love” by John Paul White and Wildo DM on Spotify here:
“Big Love”, by John Paul White and Wildo DM, is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms, via Reimagine Records.