Chances are, if you are even the slightest bit chronically online, you’ve heard at least one snippet of Hudson Westbrook‘s “LMWYL” somewhere on your feed.
As a rising artist in the new class of young bucks taking over the country music scene, Westbrook is a pioneer of tactically using social media to his advantage when promoting new releases. His latest EP, Exclusive, is no exception. The five-song project dropped this Friday, January 23, following months of calculated teasing and staggered single releases.
Two tracks were released ahead of the EP, helping fuel anticipation. “Pretty Privilege” arrived in October, followed by “If He Wanted To” in November. The remaining three songs, “Lovin’ On Me,” “LMWYL,” and the title track “Exclusive,” round out the project.
Fans have been especially eager for “LMWYL” since Westbrook first teased the abbreviated title in a TikTok post on December 30. A short clip of the chorus has since racked up nearly a million views on TikTok, paired only with the vague caption, “Soon,” leaving listeners begging for more. It wasn’t until January 7 that Westbrook officially announced the full EP on Instagram.
With all five tracks co-written by Westbrook, Exclusive further solidifies that he has established a name for himself in country music beyond momentary virality. With every song he drops, there is an emphasis on catchy tunes that display the young romantic’s experience with love and heartbreak. His Texas charm shines through in his sweet vocal tone, charmingly paired with traditional yet clever songwriting, which feels uniquely Westbrook.
According to Westbrook, “This EP is different for me because I was able to write from a different perspective than my last record, while staying true to my Texas influences.” He adds, “Based on the reactions from what I have been teasing online, the fans are really connecting to the songs and I am happy this is finally out in the world.”
While still a student at Texas Tech University, Hudson first gained viral attention with his 2024 track, “Take It Slow.” Since then, he has delivered a consistently fan-favorite sound, from “Weatherman” to his current Top 10 country radio hit, “House Again.” It’s no shocker that he has officially already garnered over 1 billion career streams across all platforms.
Despite being only 21 years old, this EP marks Westbrook’s second short-form release, on top of his 2025 full-length debut album, Texas Forever. Since that album’s July release, the Stephenville, Texas native has steadily risen among country music’s newest wave of artists. His red dirt roots continue to shape his sound and place within the genre, and support from artists like Parker McCollum and Midland signals a promising road ahead.
Beyond kicking off the year with new music, the “House Again” singer has an exciting summer on the horizon, as he prepares to join Morgan Wallen on the 2026 Still The Problem Tour and Bailey Zimmerman’s Different Night Same Rodeo Tour. With collectively over 50 shows ahead of him, this exposure under the wings of Wallen and Zimmerman is the ultimate kickstarter to a long-lasting career. And if his track record is any indication, it likely won’t be long before Westbrook is back on social media, teasing fans with another heart-stealing release.
Exclusive EP Tracklist:
- Exclusive (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Lukas Scott, Ryan Beaver)
- LMWYL (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Jesse Frasure)
- Lovin’ On Me (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Beau Bailey, Lukas Scott)
- If He Wanted To (Hudson Westbrook, Reid Haughton, Dan Alley, Ryan Beaver)
- Pretty Privilege (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Beau Bailey)