It’s been a landmark year for country star Jon Pardi, which included one major life change. During a conversation with Kelly Sutton and Amber Anderson during the latest installment of Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast, the hitmaker revealed he’s been sober since August 22.
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Over the past four months, Pardi says his change in drinking habits has already led to major physical changes.
“I’ve lost a bunch of weight,” he shared in the latest episode, out today (December 14). “I was pre-diabetic, and I was just like, ‘I’ve got to stop.’ But I will say I’m retired. Doesn’t mean I can’t come out of retirement, but for right now, it’s been great.”
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In the four months that have passed since the “Head Over Boots” singer cut alcohol out of his diet, Pardi says his rapid weight loss has offered an unexpected confidence boost.
“It just fell off my face,” he added. “I really was getting to the point where every picture, every video, I was so unhappy with myself, and it was just like where I was going, I was like I needed to just take a break. So I just did a photo shoot. I was like, ‘Damn, I look good.’ Take that, Titos.”
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It’s been a busy few months for the California native, who spent much of the year on the road performing headlining shows across the U.S. and overseas. In October, Garth Brooks officially inducted Pardi into the Grand Ole Opry, just days after the release of his holiday album Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi.
After a brief break for the holidays, Pardi says he’s eager to kick things back into high gear in 2024. He’s putting the final touches on a new album, which will include “something fresh for everybody.” To kick things off, he’ll head to Mexico in January for his first appearance at Luke Bryan‘s annual Crash My Playa event. The long-running festival is known for its beachside scenery and party vibe, but Pardi says he doesn’t plan on getting too rowdy.
“I’m going to be over here drinking mocktails,” he shared happily. “I’m enjoying this ride right now. I don’t need to get all dried out.”
Photo by Terry Wyatt/WireImage
