Today, Diplo unveils a new track from his acclaimed country music persona Thomas Wesley, “Use Me (Brutal Hearts)” featuring singer, songwriter and actress Dove Cameron and country living legend Sturgill Simpson reborn as Johnny Blue Skies. The new song arrives alongside a video starring Sean Penn, who portrays Johnny Blue Skies, with a cameo from everyone’s favorite, Tequila Don Julio 1942.
The new track is taken from Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Chapter 2 — Swamp Savant, Diplo’s forthcoming country project set for release April 28 via Columbia. “Wasted” featuring Kodak Black and Koe Wetzel is out now.
“To prepare for this new Thomas Wesley project, I went back to my father’s house in Florida and I spent six months learnin guitar, gettin in touch with nature, working his boat when the shrimp were running on full moons at the trailer park,” Diplo says. “I tried on a lot of cowboy hats. I rode a lot of motorcycles and horses basically reflected on my whole life and career and connection with this music…there was a lot. It all started in the swamps I was raised in. This is the greatest single piece of work I’ve ever done, I can promise you that.”
Swamp Savant is the second body of work from Tupelo, MS by way of Daytona, FL native Diplo’s country moniker Thomas Wesley. The release follows 2020’s Gold-certified Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley Chapter 1: Snake Oil, featuring the six times Platinum single “Heartless” with Morgan Wallen and the Gold-certified “Dance With Me” with Thomas Rhett and Young Thug and “Lonely” with Jonas Brothers.
Later this month, Diplo will bring Thomas Wesley to Stagecoach for the third time, returning this year for his annual “Late Night in Palomino” festival closer and curating his own stage, Diplo’s HonkyTonk, throughout the weekend with sets from Dillon Francis, Girl Talk, Lost Frequencies and more. He’s also set to play a very special Thomas Wesley show May 10 at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon.