Photo: Evan De Stefano
Jon Pardi premiered “a dark and thrilling” visual to tell the story behind his latest heartache anthem, “Friday Night Heartbreaker,” on Tuesday morning (January 7).
Pardi unleashed “Friday Night Heartbreaker” — written by Josh Miller, Chris Tompkins, Jessie Jo Dillon, Daniel Ross and Ryan Hurd — in September. The single serves as the lead track of Pardi’s fifth studio record. The Grand Ole Opry member confirmed as he responded to questions from fans on his Instagram story that his forthcoming record will be titled Honkytonk Hollywood; however, he has not announced the release date as of publication time.
Jim Wright directed the “Friday Night Heartbreaker” music video, which was filmed in historic Printer’s Alley in Nashville, Tennessee, per a press release issued Tuesday. The release states that the visual aims to capture “Pardi's signature mix of honky-tonk rhythms and contemporary flair,” along with the roller coaster of emotions that takes place when crossing paths with a fleeting fling.
“I always enjoy filming with Jim Wright, even if it means being in Printer’s Alley until 2 AM,” Pardi said in a statement. “You really see some wild characters down there at that hour. One of my favorite parts of the shoot was chatting with the actors and actresses who performed the circus stunts—they were amazing! All I had to do was play guitar and drive a cool car while they were over there breathing fire and swallowing swords. It was awesome to watch it all come together!
“‘Friday Night Heartbreaker’ kicks down the door of this next musical chapter,” Pardi said in a previous statement via his record label. “I challenged myself to elevate in every aspect, and this is the tip of the spear for what’s to come. When I first heard the song, I knew instantly that I had to cut it… and what a journey it was recording alongside the professor Jay Joyce. I’m as excited as I have ever been to share new music.”
Watch Pardi’s “Friday Night Heartbreaker” music video here: