Tulip Drive

Jimmie Allen has never been an artist concerned with strictly adhering to a particular genre, a trait that has made the rising pop-country star one of the more fascinating figures to emerge in recent years. On his third full-length album, Allen shows that the successes he found with 2020’s Bettie James and 2018’s Mercury Lane were no flukes, and that the creative experimentation that served him so well on those releases is still one of the sharpest tools in his arsenal. Across an ambitious 17 tracks, Allen explores how country music can intersect with pop, R&B, hip-hop, and more, doing so while maintaining a firm sense of self that keeps the collection feeling cohesive. Standout tracks include “on my way,” a duet with none other than Jennifer Lopez, and the chill, melodic “settle on back.” In addition to Lopez, Allen tapped an eclectic and star-studded roster of guest musicians to join him on Tulip Drive, including CeeLo Green and T-Pain on “pesos” and Katie Ohh on “broken hearted.”