The Shires' Ben Earle and Nina Nesbitt share a passion for classic singer-songwriters, which serves as the foundation for their emotionally captivating, pop-influenced tracks. Their latest single, "Make It Easy," showcases a fascinating cross-genre collaboration. In the song, Ben and Nina exchange lovelorn verses, each offering distinct perspectives following a breakup, but agreeing that staying apart is the best way to deal with heartbreak. They come together to deliver beautifully intertwined vocal harmonies on the song's heart-wrenching chorus, which concludes with the line, "If you want to make it easy, make it hard."

Ben expresses his enthusiasm for the song, citing his immediate emotional connection to it upon hearing it. He is delighted to have Nina collaborate with him, given her passion and understanding of country music, which is evident from their previous nights out in Nashville. On the other hand, Nina shares her deep admiration for The Shires and country music. She fell in love with "Make It Easy" for its traditional country twist in the lyrics and was thrilled to feature on it.

This latest collaboration marks the second time the two artists have worked together. Nina co-wrote "Not Even Drunk Right Now" and "Other People's Things," both of which appeared on The Shires' Gold-certified #3 album, "My Universe."

The Shires are recognized as the UK's leading country music exports, with all of their previous four albums reaching the Top 5 of the UK's Official Album Chart, and all five records hitting #1 on the UK's Country Music Chart. They have surpassed 100 million streams and received two Gold certifications. The band has headlined shows at the Royal Albert Hall and the Palladium, and performed at festivals such as Glastonbury, C2C, and Latitude. They will headline a Summer Nights at the Bandstand show in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park on July 28th.

Nina Nesbitt released her second single of 2023, "Make It Easy," following her collaboration with ILLENIUM on "Luv Me A Little." Her most recent album, "Älskar," was her most powerful work yet, blending her pop and singer-songwriter influences with nods to her Scottish and Swedish heritage. Throughout the album campaign, she accomplished memorable milestones such as reaching a billion career streams, performing in stadiums and joining Coldplay on stage, and completing a UK tour with sold-out shows in London and Glasgow. Her mutual admiration for the iconic Taylor Swift continues to be a highlight of her career.

Author: Andrew Braithwaite

Andrew is the founder and Managing Director of Music Talkers. He's also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.