Rising country star Jimmie Allen came to the Nashville music scene from Delaware later than most. Now, at the age of 34, Allen is steadily making a name for himself with catchy country tunes infused with a unique pop sound.
His latest release, “This Is Us,” continues his distinctive style by adding another rising vocalist: Miley Cyrus’ little sister, Noah Cyrus. Together, Allen and Cyrus have crafted a powerful duet that focuses on two people who are thankful to be together, despite their past mistakes and relationships.
Allen is the first to admit that he’s not proud of some past decisions (“I used to push my luck, I used to fill my cup/Yea, I used to be known for the dumb things”), or who he used to be (“I used to chase the sun, I used to kiss and run/All-nighters turns into nothings”).
But he’s thankful that his past mistakes have led him to the woman who has changed his life: “I’m lucky every other lover got away/I’m lucky that my heart was always hard to break/I’m lucky when you came along I had a chance to take.”
Because, as Cyrus adds, love is tricky business: “All I really know is love ain’t simple.” But, thankfully, all of our past mistakes can lead us to the right person: “If only back then we’d have been together/But it was just you and that was just me/Before we found love/Now this is us.”
And chorus repeats, “This is us/This is us/This is us, yeah/This is trust/This is trust/This is trust, yeah.”
Past relationships wound us and leave a mark. But they don’t have to define us.
In this country ballad, Allen and Cyrus both admit that their pasts are full of mistakes and broken relationships. And some of that brokenness has come from careless drinking to fill voids, along with casual flings. But now they’re both equally happy that their heartbreaks and poor choices have led them to find significant others whom they truly love.
As for the song’s video, it features the two singers standing in a dark pool of water, gradually moving toward each other as they sing. While there’s nothing too problematic here, Noah Cyrus does wear a flesh-colored, semi-transparent body suit that makes it look as if she’s naked. She’s not, and camera shots aren’t too revealing. But it’s obviously a deliberate and suggestive optical illusion worth noting.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
