Yelawolf to make tour stop at The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing

As the sun rises, Yelawolf once again is looking forward to the day ahead.

The rapper, born Michael Wayne Atha, knows that today will be a different day on tour.

“I literally just jumped off the bus and will be golfing on my day off,” Yelawolf says. “The tour has been amazing and it gives me an opportunity to introduce J. Michael (Phillips).”

The rapper and up-and-coming country artist teamed up for the album “Whiskey & Roses,” which was released on July 7. Yelawolf’s headlining tour is set to make a stop at The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing in Santa Fe on Thursday, Aug. 7.

Yelawolf wanted to work with Phillips because of his unique style.

“I just didn’t want to step on his toes,” he says. “I wanted to share creative space with him. We dialed into the process and let it happen. I didn’t really overthink it. It took a couple of records to get into the flow. Once we did ‘Amnesia,’ I knew how to handle the project. If you’ve heard the demo that he turned into me on that song, it’s the complete opposite of where it is now.”

“Whiskey & Roses” has 10 songs on the album, though 15 were originally recorded.

“This album is all killer and no filler,” he says. “I don’t waste people’s time with mediocre records. Just because you record it, it’s not the law that it has to make an album.”

Yelawolf says the album has a nostalgic feel all while feeling different and new.

“The message to me with ‘Whiskey & Roses’ is simply: no apologies given. Period,” he says. “This oversaturated genre needs to be shaken up, in the best way though. I hope fans are moved forward by this project, but mostly, I hope they become J. Michael fans like I am. What he is about to do can be heard on his solo song ‘All I Ever Seen’ that closes out this record.”

Yelawolf says the album is a journey through life’s ups and downs and the determination to keep pushing forward.

There may be obstacles along the way, but you can become anything that you put your mind to and work towards, he says.

“My passion, it’s always been pretty present as far as the way I perform these days,” he says. “It’s evolved into something new. I don’t really know how or why it happened. People are taking notice that there is a new spark within me and it’s showing through the music.”

Yelawolf is calling his current tour “45,” which is significant because of his age.

At 45, Yelawolf knows that he's having a rare opportunity to still be making music and touring the country.

“Where I’m from, not many people make it to 45 much less 30,” he says. “I didn’t sign my first record deal until I was 30. There’s a renewed energy in my life and in my music. The upcoming solo album captures this exact moment for me. I’ve gone back home to (Alabama and Tennessee) and a lot of my friends I grew up with have given up. I’m owning 45 and leaning into the power it’s bringing.”

As for the set in Santa Fe, Yelawolf says it will have a few songs featuring Phillips.

“The majority of the set will be my songs representing my journey in music,” he says. “I’m proud of the work I’ve put in this far and we’re going to start switching gears moving forward.”