Written by James alone, the song lets listeners in to the backstory behind James’ viral hit “Water At A Wedding”
Recently wrapped Cole Swindell’s Happy Hour Sad Tour last weekend
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Photo courtesy: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment | Download here
NASHVILLE, TN (October 31, 2025) – ACM Award-winning singer-songwriter Greylan James had the internet buzzing this summer after releasing his viral, shocking tune “Water At A Wedding,” leaving listeners begging for more details on the song’s origin. Today, James gives the fans a look into what preceded the fateful wedding night with “Give Me A Second (the before),” out now. Written solely by James and produced alongside Sam Ellis, the deeply personal track captures the 3 a.m. moment when regret hits hardest – a late-night call, a memory too vivid to forget and a desperate plea for a second chance.
“Y’all wanted more to the ‘Water At A Wedding’ story, and this is the beginning of it.” said James. “Over the next couple months, I’ll be dropping songs that I wrote around the same time in my life. This one takes me back to the call, hearing her on the other end of the phone. Y’all buckle up.”
LISTEN: “GIVE ME A SECOND (THE BEFORE)”
“Water At A Wedding” skyrocketed James into a new level in his artist career, as the song became his highest pre-save count to date with over 25k saves and garnering over 10M views on teasers leading up to release. The track has gone on to accumulate over 13M global streams and counting, with fan chatter louder than ever as the internet debates the story’s truth. Written by James alongside Chase McGill and Matt Dragstrem and produced by Jason Massey, “Water At A Wedding” follows an uneasy bride who might be concealing a major secret on her wedding day. Carefully unraveling details of a late-night visit, two pink lines and not-so-distant memories, the track culminates with a shocking bridge that has left listeners stunned. Watch the lyric video here.
Critics raved about “Water At A Wedding,” with Billboard stating: “the polished, pop-country track builds to a bridge that James delivers with quiet force and precision, again cementing his gift for crafting songs that are both relatable and head-turning.” Country Central agreed, deeming the track “an exceptional display of narrative songwriting” as Country Swag proclaimed it is “one of the most clever tracks of 2025,” continuing on to say “James is one of those incredible artists and songwriters to pay attention to.”
James has racked up an impressive list of accolades for his impeccable songwriting, already landing ACM and BMI Award wins and a CMA Award nomination for co-writing Jordan Davis’ No. 1 hit “Next Thing You Know.” With three No. 1s and over 900M streams as a songwriter under his belt, the “superstar just beginning to hit his stride” (SiriusXM) has not slowed down on landing major writing credits. This year alone, he has earned cuts from some of country music’s biggest stars including Morgan Wallen, HARDY, Cole Swindell, Blake Shelton and more, adding to his decorated catalog of tracks for Kenny Chesney, Chris Young, Bailey Zimmerman and others.
The rising star recently wrapped an opening slot on Cole Swindell’s Happy Hour Sad Tour and will continue to play various shows throughout the end of the year. For a full list of tour dates, please visit GreylanJames.com.
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Photo credit: David Cohn | Download here
ABOUT GREYLAN JAMES:
From the moment his Papaw gifted him his first guitar at the age of 5, one of Nashville’s most exciting young breakout country stars Greylan James knew he was meant to be a musician. The Knoxville-raised artist-on-the-rise has been manifesting his vision of country music stardom since his earliest days: from those cleats and cowboy hats he wore to school to playing every sort of live show imaginable from tailgates to patios and dive bars to funerals around his hometown. Since moving to Music City 8 years ago, Greylan has become a “celebrated songwriter” (Country Now) earning cuts from some of country music’s most notable artists including Kenny Chesney, Morgan Wallen, Cole Swindell, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Bailey Zimmerman, BRELAND and more. The singer-songwriter earned his first ACM Award for Song of the Year, co-writing Jordan Davis’ No.1 smash hit “Next Thing You Know.” The song also earned Greylan a BMI Award and his first CMA Award nomination for Song of the Year. To date, Greylan’s songbook has landed three No. 1 hits and amassed over 900M streams. And while Greylan has undoubtedly been incredibly successful penning hits for others in the writer’s room, he’s ready to strike out on his own. His growing catalog of songs – including his debut radio single “Wait Til You Have Kids” and his buzzy track “Water At A Wedding” – highlight why SiriusXM dubbed him “a superstar just beginning to hit his stride” with his “impeccable songwriting and artistry.” Greylan has toured with artists like Old Dominion, Scotty McCreery and just recently wrapped Cole Swindell’s Happy Hour Sad Tour. For a full list of tour dates and more, visit GreylanJames.com.
Media Contacts:
Olivia Hanceri or Kristi Bradshaw | OH Creative
olivia@theohcreative.com, kristi@theohcreative.com
251.554.7195
Jodi Dawes | Big Machine Label Group
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