FINNEAS has never needed much to make a song hit hard—and on his new Apple Music Nashville Sessions EP, he proves it. Released today exclusively on Apple Music, the three-track live recording pulls his sound back to its barest elements, spotlighting songwriting, space, and a quietly electrifying guest appearance by country-pop shapeshifter Kacey Musgraves.
The set includes acoustic renditions of “Starfucker” and “Same Old Story” from FINNEAS’ 2024 sophomore album For Cryin’ Out Loud!, each reimagined with a rawness that feels both intentional and intimate. But it’s the third track, “Giver / Taker,” that steals the moment—a gently devastating duet with Musgraves, lifted from her own Grammy-nominated record Deeper Well. It’s a slow-burning exchange between two artists who understand restraint better than most: understated yet luminous, unfolding like a quiet conversation at twilight—vulnerable, measured, and unexpectedly magnetic.
Two of the tracks—“Starfucker” and “Giver / Taker”—also come with exclusive live performance videos, filmed in the same stripped-back setting. There’s no overproduction, no reinvention, no camera gimmicks—just two artists in a room, weaving melodies with a quiet conviction that doesn’t clamor for attention, but earns it. As with all Nashville Sessions, the performances are delivered in Spatial Audio, placing the listener right in the stillness—front row, center.
Launched in 2022, the Apple Music Nashville Sessions series invites artists to revisit their own catalog in a stripped-back studio setting—one that often reveals new shades of the familiar. It’s not about spectacle; it’s about the songs. FINNEAS leans fully into that ethos here, trading layered arrangements for bare emotional weight, letting the tracks breathe deeper. It’s a flex that doesn’t shout—just resonates.
This release arrives just weeks after the final leg of FINNEAS’ sold-out For Cryin’ Out Loud! Tour, which crossed North America, Australia, and New Zealand, with European and U.K. dates still ahead. Meanwhile, the album itself continues to earn praise for its cohesive storytelling and sonic assurance—a project that steps FINNEAS out of the producer’s chair and firmly into the frame as a solo artist with a voice that’s not just distinct, but fully realized.
Kacey Musgraves, meanwhile, is deep into a banner year. Her latest album Deeper Well debuted at No. 1 across multiple charts, and its lead single, “The Architect,” earned a Grammy award for Best Country Song. Her appearance in the Nashville Sessions doesn’t read as a strategic move—rather, it feels instinctive and artistically aligned. Her presence doesn’t overpower FINNEAS; it complements, adding her quiet, observational magic to the performance like a shared secret.
There’s no spectacle here, no viral hooks tailored for TikTok reels. But this EP offers something rarer—a masterclass in restraint and subtlety. It’s a reminder that sometimes the quietest songs often land the hardest when the lights dim and the noise recedes. It’s a stripped-back showcase of two brilliant minds at their most distilled—no tricks, no flash, just the kind of stillness that lingers long after the final note.
Listen to the Apple Music Nashville Sessions with FINNEAS and Kacey Musgraves playlist HERE.
Spun the Sessions yet? Dive in, turn it up, and let the quiet hit different. Share your thoughts with us over on X—we’re listening.
