Nate Smith reckons with the memory of an old flame in the music video for “World on Fire.” The song first rolled out in April for the deluxe version of his self-titled debut album and follows the success of his breakout radio hit, “Whiskey on You.”
The clip sees the country singer and his band perform against a blazing background as Smith roars out the chorus, “You set my world on fire/Yeah, it’s all long gone/I’m watching flames get higher/And I can’t move on.” The metaphor for the video and song are woven throughout his album, which retells the age-old story of love, loss, and moving on through Smith’s heavy blend of rock grounded in country soul.
“I want everybody to connect with the songs in some emotional way, whatever that is, for them,” Smith tells Rolling Stone of his debut record. “I just want them to have some sort of an emotional reaction to it and feel something to take away.”
The country singer from Paradise, California, whose tribute song “One of These Days” brought together an entire town after the devastating fire of 2018, often alludes to the idea of rising from the ashes in his work. Another song, “Wildfire,” from his 2020 EP Reckless landed him a recording contract with Sony Music Nashville in 2021.
And in 2023’s “Sleeve,” he sings, “There was a girl from Tennessee/Brought the fires of hell on me/She brought a long line of hurt and a world of trouble” before declaring, “I’m still picking up the pieces/But at least it’s still beating.”
“I don’t want to let things that I didn’t love about love at that time, change how I move forward,” Smith says when speaking about the single, which touches on his divorce. “It’s a little foolish, it’s a little crazy, but I’m gonna wear my heart on my sleeve still, because that’s who I am at the core. I gotta be that person. I gotta be true to that.”
“What’s great about country music is that you can still be hopeful through that process,” he adds. “I’m really thankful for the things I have, but I’m saying that to you while I have a handful of whiskey right here. It’s just real.”
Smith was nominated for Breakthrough Male Video of the Year at the CMT Music Awards and New Male Artist of the Year at the 58th ACM Awards. He also performed at Stagecoach for the first time in April, and has joined Thomas Rhett on his Home Team Tour 23 across 40 cities throughout the U.S. In the fall, the Smith will embark on Cole Swindell’s Twelve Tour with Conner Smith, Avery Anna and Greylan James.