Bailey Zimmerman and Luke Combs Team Up on ‘Backup Plan’ Song

Recently, in an interview with Billboard, Austin Shawn, who produced Bailey Zimmerman's new single "Backup Plan," which features the number one Country artist Luke Combs, discussed the process behind its production. He explained that the collaboration with Combs was not necessarily part of the plan; it created itself in part because of Zimmerman's gut feeling, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect.

"It worked out really well because when Bailey did the vocals, we were thinking, 'Who could feature?'" Shawn said. "When I finished the first rough mix on it, Bailey was like, 'Should I text it to Luke?' Luke didn't get back to him for a month — he was probably just living with it. And then he was like, 'Song rips, I'm in,' out of nowhere. We had not gone to anyone else. It was either Luke or nothing."

Zimmerman and Shawn have maintained a tight-knit creative partnership since the release of Zimmerman's debut EP, Leave the Light On, which included fan-favorite hits such as "Fall in Love" and the multi-platinum "Rock and a Hard Place." Their working dynamic has continued to evolve as they prepare for the next phase of Zimmerman's career.

The track "Backup Plan" will appear on Zimmerman's forthcoming album, Different Night Same Rodeo, which is currently in production. According to Shawn, fans can expect a wide-ranging sound from the new record. "There's a couple of awesome features on the record. There's familiarity, there's evolution, and there's a little bit of something for all demographics of music, too, not just country," he explained.

The Luke Combs feature marks a new level of mainstream interest in Zimmerman's upward trajectory, further solidifying the breakout artist's presence on country and crossover charts. As Different Night Same Rodeo approaches its release, the excitement builds for what could be one of the more versatile albums of the genre this year.