'We have to come back now': Drew Baldridge eyes New Zealand return

Drew Baldridge hasn't forgotten the night his first New Zealand show never happened.

The American country star was in Auckland and ready to perform alongside Jelly Roll when the show was suddenly cancelled.

Rather than calling it a night, Drew headed to Jolene Bar and made the most of the situation, jumping up for an impromptu set before later joining our own Kaylee Bell on stage at Auckland's Civic Theatre.

Looking back on the chaotic evening, Drew told iHeartCountry NZ he still remembers the disappointment of missing what would have been his first official performance in New Zealand.

"We were so bummed out. That was going to be our first time ever playing in New Zealand," he said. Instead, he decided, "We're going to go down to this bar and we're going to jump up, we're going to play and have a good time. We're going to make the most out of it."

The silver lining? It only made him more determined to come back.

"That just means we have to come back now and do our own show."

And Kiwi fans might not have to wait forever. While no dates are locked in yet, Drew revealed he's hoping to start planning international touring once his new album Farm Faith Family is out in the world.

"Hopefully in '27," he said. "After Farm Faith Family, the album drops here in the next week, we can start planning all the touring that goes on around it, not only in the States, but also the other side of the pond there."

The new album arrives after one of country music's most remarkable independent success stories.

After moving to Nashville in 2011 and securing a record deal, Drew saw everything fall apart in 2019 when his label and management situation collapsed. Like many artists, he found himself rebuilding from scratch after the pandemic, playing backyard shows and posting constantly on social media while searching for his next opportunity.

That opportunity arrived through his breakthrough hit She's Somebody's Daughter.

"I was trying to get record labels to pay attention to Nashville and nobody would," he said. "Got to the point where I was like, you know what, I'm just going to create my own label, and I'm going to give this a try myself, because I believe in my music and I believe in this song."

Using income generated from the song's streaming success, Drew and his wife built their own team and took the track directly to country radio.

"I just dreamed that we would get top 40. That was my goal," he said. "To think we'd have a number one and a second top ten after that with Tough People... I just honestly can't believe it."

The title of his new album perfectly reflects the values that carried him through that journey.

"Farm Faith Family are three words that built the foundation of who I am," Drew explained. "These are the pillars of my life."

The project is deliberately split into three themes, reflecting his upbringing on a century-old family farm, his Christian faith, and life as a husband and father to young sons Lyric and Ronen.

"We've had the same farm in our family for over a hundred years," he said. "Faith is kind of the centre of my whole life... and family is a big part of who I am."

Those themes even extend beyond the music. Drew revealed he's planning to build a cabin on family land near his hometown, creating a place where his sons can experience the same country lifestyle he grew up with.

"We're going to build a little cabin up there," he said. "Have my boys go out and run in their bare feet, ride side-by-sides, do a little hunting, do a little fishing, all the things that we love to do."

The album also features collaborations with some of country's biggest names, including Luke Combs, Tyler Hubbard and Emily Ann Roberts. While Drew credits Luke's involvement on Tough People as hugely important, he says the friendships formed along the way mean even more.

"To really get to know Tyler on a friend level was very special for me," he said. "That means more to me than even making music together."

For now, Drew is celebrating the release of Farm Faith Family, headlining his annual Baldridge & Bonfire hometown festival and touring alongside Luke Bryan. But if all goes to plan, New Zealand will be high on the list when it's time for the next chapter!

Until then, check out our full interview with Drew Baldridge below.

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Hear Drew Baldridge and more of your favourite country artists on iHeartCountry NZ by using the player below.