“I Don’t Have To Deal With Koe Wetzel Fans Calling Me A Rat Anymore” -Jessie Murph Is Thrilled About Solo “High Road” Release

I guess that's a win? On Friday, Koe Wetzel released a solo version of his fan-favorite song and current single at country radio "High Road," which features Columbia labelmate Jessie Murph as well. Part of his forthcoming album 9 Lives , it was written by Koe along with Amy Allen, Carrie Karpinen and producer Gabe Simon, and finds Koe taking the “high road” both literally and metaphorically, as he uses a different approach to a conflict in a rocky relationship, deciding not to fight back but rather take some time to cool off (which also includes getting stoned, if that wasn’t obvious). Upon the release of the duet, though, a lot of his fans seemed to take issue with and left plenty of comments online (head over to his music Instagram page and you’ll see plenty of them there on many different posts). I guess after they heard the initial teaser, they wanted and expected a solo effort from Koe , but Koe had been wanting to work with Jessie and quickly realized she would be the perfect addition to this song. And after speaking to him about his forthcoming 9 Lives album a couple weeks ago (more to come there), Koe told me that he decided to put out this version first because he loved her part and what the song became as a duet: “Yeah, the first time I saw that there was anything being brought up about it, I didn’t really understand it at all. Jessie’s just such a bad**s. And so I think we had a plan… the ‘High Road’ version, the single version, will eventually come out. But I was asked if we wanted to put it out sooner rather than later, and I was like, screw that. I believed in this version since Jessie cut her part on it. I think she kind of made the song what it is, and so yeah, that song, it fit with both of us. It fit with us both very well.” But after the release of the solo version Friday, Jessie shared a TikTok where she didn't exactly mince her words, telling fans to (sarcastically, I assume) go stream that one: "His solo version is out now go get ur DUIS!!!" She also gave the camera the middle finger, smiling and waving because she will no longer have his fans "calling her a rat" for being featured on the song: "Me when I realize I don't have to deal with Koe Wetzel fans calling me a rat for being on a song anymore." Honestly, good for her for sticking up for herself. Whether or not you like her version or the solo better, it's exhausting see constant complaints about it and I can only imagine the annoyance it has been for her: I will say that I was a bit surprised when Koe released "High Road" as a duet because there was no indication of it being one, though Jessie's part definitely grew on me and I think the song majorly benefited from having the depth and contrast of the female perspective she added. Additionally, I think their harmonies were beautiful and the solo version almost sounds like something is missing without that element to me. And it's important to remember in this discussion about which song you like better that Jessie is only 19-years old, but has actually handled the criticism one million times better than I would have at that age. Anywho, I agree with her in that I'm tired of seeing the negative comments too, and now, everyone can pick to listen to whichever song they prefer and hopefully we don't have to hear about it every time this song comes up going forward. You can listen to both versions below. The duet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyAKpowkUDA The solo version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U35fIPYNhBI Koe has released three other songs from the record thus far, including “9 Lives (Black Cat),” “Damn Near Normal” and the aforementioned “Sweet Dreams.” 9 Lives was produced predominantly by Gabe Simon (Noah Kahan’s Stick Season ) alongside a lineup of trusted collaborators like Josh Serrato, Carrie K and Sam Harris (X Ambassadors) and is due out everywhere this Friday, July 19th. 9 Lives Tracklist: “Continued” Skit “9 Lives (Black Cat)” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon) “Depression & Obsession” (cover) “Damn Near Normal” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon, Carrie Karpinen, Sam Harris) “Leigh” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon) “Twister” (Ropyr Wetzel, Steve Rusch, Ben Burgess, Josh Serrato) “High Road” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon, Carrie Karpinen) “Reconsider” (Charles John Brocco, Keith Quenton Gattis) “Hatchet” (Gabe Simon, Mike Coogan) “Sweet Dreams” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Josh Serrato, Gabe Simon, Sam Harris) “Runnin’ Low” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Sam Harris, Gabe Simon, Ben Burgess) “Bar Song” (Blake “Shy” Carter, Breyan Isaac, Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II, Dave Gibson) “Last Outlaw Alive” (Josh Serrato, Ben Burgess, Sam Harris)