Dwayne Johnson talks Chris Janson video collab, says he once wanted to be a country star
With the release of the video for his latest single, "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get," Grand Ole Opry member Chris Janson aims for loftier goals than usual in his country music career.
Suppose his video helps the song achieve his sixth No. 1 single in his decade-long mainstream country music career. In that case, it'll put him two hits closer to mirroring the number of times his video's co-star, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, has held the World Wrestling Entertainment championship.
A press release notes that the video shows Janson and Johnson in both a Bass Pro Shops store and the great outdoors, "in the deer stand, muddin’ in a vintage Ford pick-up and enjoying some good ol’ Southern boy downtime."
The duo spoke to The Tennessean during a press day at Los Angeles' popular Western nightlife destination, Desert 5 Spot, about the video, Johnson's Nashville roots, their shared passion for country music and more.
'The Rock' talks country music and Nashville roots
Among many things, Johnson is almost always foremost an entertainer and entrepreneur grateful for and humbled by his still-booming, three-decade-long career.
He's also a renowned country music fanatic.
"Country music, a little bit of blues, some hip-hop and R&B," says Johnson, volunteering his preferred genres.
An appreciation of storytelling distilled to a simple essence that beautifully represents love and pride in one's core values of faith, family and fun—as well as getting goosebumps at the sound of twin fiddles—merely scratch the surface of how country music and Nashville are rooted in the core of his humanity.
Johnson's father, Rocky "Soulman" Johnson, was also a professional wrestler who raised his son driving and flying between over a dozen territories throughout North America.
Father and son bonded on those trips on as many tales of bodyslams and dropkicks as they did on the songs of Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Johnny Paycheck and Hank Williams Jr. and Sr.
Janson and Johnson met and immediately bonded while waiting for the cars in a valet parking lot, sparking a conversation about their shared love of Hank Williams Jr.'s 1980-released song "The Blues Man."
They also shared their histories on Nashville's Lower Broadway, where 15-year-old Johnson, in 1987, believed himself an aspiring vocalist and attempted to sneak into the same Tootsie's Orchid Lounge that Janson also aspired to play when he arrived in Music City, homeless and sleeping in his car, in 2004.
"When I was 15, I had a dream—no, let's call it a delusion—that I was going to be a country music singer. I mean, I sing in keys that don't exist, but I do sing from the heart—that's what matters," says The Rock, jokingly.
Authenticity, legacy and tradition
The Rock believes maintaining authenticity similar to that which has been fundamental to country music's century-long tradition is difficult because it is a "critical part of life" in general.
For Janson and Johnson, allowing their art to remain authentic enables them to focus on humility and kindness.
"It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice," Johnson says.
Janson's motivations bridge into living an American dream fueled by growing a career underpinned by "heartfelt hard work and effort."
"Whether in my music career or as a husband and parent, I want to be known as a great Christian who left the Earth better than he found it. Dwayne and I are both real dudes, and when we leave here, people will be proud of our hard work and legacies."
'Whatcha See is Whatcha Get' and beyond
Johnson believes that the song is a "catchy, cool" one anchored in a notion that rises above people's stations in life to unify them in what Janson adds is a "bombastic, fun and rowdy" sense of a free and enlightened community driven by pride in oneself.
"("Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get") hype music for giving people hope that feeling can inspire others to treat others how they want to be treated with joy, positivity and good vibes," Janson continues.
Johnson is excited by the potential of "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" to be the confluence of multiple full-circle moments for his and Janson's friendship and careers.
He adds that while he misses Nashville, he also imagines a dream scenario where his country moment grows from appearing in Janson's video to joining him onstage at the Grand Ole Opry.
Janson, who has been an Opry member since 2018, welcomes the potential of that moment and more.
"While this music video is a little victory I can celebrate in my heart, I don't just want to be a guy with good songs who only achieved screwing in my nameplate as a Grand Ole Opry member. I want to be remembered as, beyond that, a great man overall."