Diplo’s Thomas Wesley Taps Dove Cameron, Sturgill Simpson for New Single ‘Use Me (Brutal Hearts)’

Diplo has released a new single from his country music persona Thomas Wesley. The track, “Use Me (Brutal Hearts),” features Dove Cameron and Sturgill Simpson, who appears as Johnny Blue Skies.

The song comes off Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Chapter 2 — Swamp Savant, Diplo’s forthcoming country project set for release April 28 via Columbia. Diplo also released an accompanying music video, which stars Sean Penn as a dramatic version of Johnny Blue Skies who performs in a strip club alongside Cameron.

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“To prepare for this new Thomas Wesley project, I went back to my father’s house in Florida and I spent six months learning guitar, gettin in touch with nature, working his boat when the shrimp were running on full moons at the trailer park,” Diplo said in a statement. “I tried on a lot of cowboy hats. I rode a lot of motorcycles and horses basically reflected on my whole life and career and connection with this music… there was a lot. It all started in the swamps I was raised in. This is the greatest single piece of work I’ve ever done, I can promise you that.”

Diplo previously shared “Wasted,” featuring Kodak Black and Koe Wetzel, from the LP. The album follows his 2020 effort Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley Chapter 1: Snake Oil, which included hit single “Heartless” with vocals from Morgan Wallen.

“I don’t want to make a joke album,” Diplo told Rolling Stone of his foray into country. “I don’t want to make ‘Cotton Eyed Joe,’ which… I loved it. I’m not trying to make meme country, you know? The songs are great. If you take everything off, the production of it, they’re just great songs you could sing with an acoustic guitar.”

Later this month, Diplo will bring Thomas Wesley to Stagecoach for the third time, returning for his annual “Late Night in Palomino” festival closer and curating his own stage, Diplo’s HonkyTonk. Diplo will also play a Thomas Wesley show May 10 at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon.

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