Country Singer ERNEST Dishes on His ‘Willie Nelson’ Pre-Show Ritual

Despite spending countless nights performing live, ERNEST doesn’t get stage fright — because he has his very own routine that helps him stay calm.

In an exclusive interview for Us Weekly’s Backstage Pass, the “Cowgirls” singer, 32, dished on his pre-show ritual for the Legalize Country Music Roadshow tour. “I take a cold shower. That gets me set,” he said. “I’ll take a little nap, wake up, [take a] cold shower, drink a pre-workout and then I’m good to go.”

Before hitting the stage, ERNEST (born Ernest Keith Smith) listens to country music — “usually Keith Whitley radio” — and relaxes in his green room, stocked with a few essentials. “I love a good earthy candle and Sun Chips,” he shared. Of course, “[We] always got plenty of drinks for the band, and I always have a fresh toothbrush and deodorant.”

ERNEST makes sure to get in the right headspace before each performance. “I always participate in my own little Willie Nelson ritual before I go out there, so that might help,” the songwriter — who penned #1 hits for Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, Kane Brown and Sam Hunt — told Us, quipping: “But it worked against me [once] when I hung out with Wiz Khalifa.”

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With so much time spent on the road, ERNEST has experienced several epic moments (“This guy had his toe amputated and I signed his nub,” he explained of one memorable fan interaction), but nothing beats when he went viral for taking a nasty fall in St. Louis while opening for Morgan Wallen’s One Night at a Time tour.

“I was just throwing roses out at the end of ‘Flower Shops’ and my foot slipped on the edge of the stage,” he recalled of the 2023 incident. “I thought I could catch myself on the railing, so I kind of jumped towards [it], but I overshot it and it absolutely was the longest fall ever.”

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ERNEST is keeping busy as he prepares for the Legalize Country Music Roadshow to wind down later this month. Not only will he be joining Jelly Roll for the “Save Me” singer’s Beautifully Broken tour, but he’s also looking forward to launching “Would If I Could,” his new single featuring Lainey Wilson from his latest album, Nashville, Tennessee.

“It’s probably one of my favorite country songs I’ve heard,” ERNEST told Us of the single. “I did not write it, which is rare because I’ve written a lot of songs, but this one was written by Dean Dillon and Skip Ewing, like, 30 years ago. Nobody ever cut it, and it wound up in my lap.”

“I’m so happy to sing such a pure country song from the era that so many people are emulating these days,” he added. “Myself included.”