Cody Johnson has a Top 15 hit with "I'm Gonna Love You," his duet with Carrie Underwood. Johnson is already a country music superstar on his own, but when it comes to working with Underwood, he is also a big fan, both of her and her undeniable talent.
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"It's a beautiful song, and she did such a great job on it," Johnson says. "She's such a professional. I can't stress that enough. She is as good of a human being as she is a singer and I'm very, very blessed to be able to work with her."
"I'm Gonna Love You" was written by Travis Denning, Kelly Archer and Chris Stevens in 2016. The song was first pitched to Underwood, either to sing on her own or as a duet, but she passed on it at the time. Years later, Johnson got his hands on "I'm Gonna Love You," but said he would only sing it if he could sing it with Underwood.
"From the moment I heard this song, I heard Carrie's voice on it. It was a non-negotiable for me; either we sing it together, or I wouldn't sing it at all. It's that special to me," Johnson says. "Working with Carrie has been an absolute pleasure. She's not only one hell of a singer, but she's a class act all the way around. It warms my heart to work with someone who's seen so much success in their career and they're still so down to earth. I feel like this duet is going to be massive in so many ways, and I couldn't be prouder of it!"
Cody Johnson And His Latest
"I'm Gonna Love You" is from Johnson's latest album, Leather Deluxe Edition, released last November. The father of two says picking the songs for his new record, or any of his projects, is his favorite part.
"There's something in my DNA that when I hear one, I'm just like, 'That's it,' Johnson tells Billboard. "And I don't know, maybe it's something I've developed over time."
One thing that doesn't bother Johnson is if other artists have already passed on a song he wants to record. It's why he was so eager to record "Gonna Love You," even though it was several years old.
"A lot of people have already passed on these songs," Johnson admits. "I've been asked, 'Does it bother you that somebody else has already passed on it?' And I'm like, 'No, because it wasn't for them.' I know it's for me."
