In many cases, actual events inspire the music that is part of our lives. After celebrating their multi-platinum hit, "I Love Her First," Music Spotlight artists Heartland are asking "What Happened?" about unity in our country with their patriotic new single with that question.
Inspired by their conversations as friends, family, and neighbors, Heartland core members Craig Anderson, Todd Anderson, and Mike Myerson felt called to write "What Happened?" which was produced by Craig and Jimmy Ritchie.
The video, directed by Justin Mayotte, features footage from Heartland recording "What Happened?" in Nashville and the tough realities we see on the news daily. Showcasing clips from different locations across the United States, the various scenarios in the video reflect the unity and turmoil the country has experienced over the last few years.
"We wanted to capture that feeling of wondering how things got so far off course while still believing that there’s hope if we can come back together. We hope this song inspires people to look beyond what divides us and find a way to stand together again. It’s a song for anyone who still believes in a better future and wants to be part of making it happen," shared Todd.
In the chorus, they honestly ask: What's happened to our country? What happened to the promised land? Riots in the street ain't how it should be; how hard is that to understand? What happened to the U.S. of A? We don't kill our neighbors cause we disagree, You can't take that back, We're better than that, It's time we started asking... What Happened?
It is essential that we share this song to help people remember who we are as Americans and what we stand for.
Heartland made its return last year with new lead vocalist Lance Horton. Following the release of the ACM and CMA nominated group's first single in over a decade, "No Tomorrow," Heartland celebrated RIAA platinum, gold, and streaming certifications for its No. 1 hit “I Loved Her First."
You can stream "What Happened?" here.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and X.