A debut single can either leave an indelible mark or flounder in the sea of the music industry. Joey Hendricks’ first outing, “Yours or Mine,” seems firmly rooted in the former category. In under a month, the song has notched nearly 150,000 Spotify Streams and landed on numerous high-profile playlists, including New Boots. The tangy-sweet mid-tempo doesn’t appear to be slowing down, especially with the brand new release of the official music video.
Videos by American Songwriter
“This was my first time ever filming a music video. I learned that my lip syncing skills aren’t up to par with industry standards and also how awkward I feel in front of a camera,” he admits to American Songwriter over email. “Overall, though, it was a great experience and would 10/10 do it again.”
“Yours or Mine,” co-written with Daniel Ross (Jake Owen, Steep Canyon Rangers) and Michael Whitworth (Florida Georgia Line, Mitchell Tenpenny), blasts through the speakers with shiny electric guitars and Hendricks’ tender lead vocal. “Who, whose arms gonna wrap around who / Whose place are we headed back to,” he coos on the chorus. “Somebody’s lips gotta be the first to cross that line / Who says only fools rush in / Whose bed are we waking up in / Whose heart will take it harder when we say goodbye / Yours or mine.”
The sweeping track depicts the threshold of a relationship’s early days, that distinct moment when someone realizes a simple hang-out has blossomed into something much more. “It’s the first song we ever wrote together, and we’ve since [gone] on to write some songs that I’m truly proud of,” he says. “This song felt like a good place to start the story.”
The visual hones specifically in on Hendricks, as he appears to reminisce about that once-budding romance. It’s unclear if he’s simply waxing nostalgic or he’s currently flushed and in the moment. “Whose phone gonna buzz tomorrow with a text, says, ‘I had a great time’ / I say it’s yours / But I’m hoping it’s mine,” he sings on the second verse. “Whose friends ain’t gonna let it go, say, ‘You didn’t come home last night’ / If it ain’t yours, it’s gonna be mine.”
His first release on Sony Music, “Yours or Mine” lays a solid foundation for a mainstream country career. Originally from Anacortes, Washington, Hendricks moved to Nashville three years ago, and it quickly became evident he had a clear voice. He signed a publishing deal with Parallel Entertainment and began molding his own unique songwriting perspective, calling to such influences as John Mayer and Neil Young.
Watch “Yours or Mine” below:
Photo by David Bradley
