Randy Houser is finding a unique way to tell the story of his new album. In concurrence with the release of Magnolia in early 2019, Houser has also created a movie of the same name that brings to life the lyrics of the project.

The film takes place in Houser's home state of Mississippi, where the album also gets its namesake for the state flower. The plot centers around couple Noah, an oil rig worker, and Ana, who's relationship is on the rocks due to the stressors of their personal lives. In a trailer for the film, Houser is seen portraying a bartender at the local diver bar who's also a performer, while Noah deals with the struggles of his father's Alzheimer's. Houser will perform several songs off Magnolia throughout the film, including his latest single "What Whiskey Does" that also plays over the trailer.

Magnolia tells my story but also tells the story of running away from something while not knowing exactly what you’re running to,” says the singer, who also served as executive producer of the film. “As I got into the groove of creating this album, the story became so vivid in my mind that I realized it had to live through more than just a body of music and become a film. That’s exactly what we created... a film about running towards your truth.”

Houser was originally scheduled to release the album in November of 2018, but pushed the date back in order to complete the film. "A lot of the shooting was going on down in Louisiana, South Carolina and the Houston area, when the hurricanes were coming. So all of our shooting schedules got pushed back, and there was really no reason to put the album out without the other big piece that goes with it," he tells Taste of Country, hinting that movie is "kind of dark."

The album is set for release on Jan. 11.

 

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