Since winning Season 9 of "The Voice," Jordan Smith has worked with music legend David Foster, producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, and singers Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith.
Now the Lee University alumnus can add Celine Dion to that resume.
Just hours after Dion debuted the video for her new single, "Ashes," May 3 on "Good Morning, America," Jordan posted on social media that he wrote the song.
Kane Brown, left, and Lauren Alaina perform "What Ifs" at the 53rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 15, 2018, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Kane Brown, left, and Lauren Alaina perform "What Ifs" at the 53rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 15, 2018, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)"I'm so honored and completely humbled to have written this song for the incomparable Celine Dion. Never doubt the power of hard work or the importance of small beginnings," he said.
"Ashes" is part of the soundtrack to "Deadpool 2," and according to entertainment industry teasers is integral to the plot. Smith wrote the love ballad with Petey Martin and Tedd T.
The emotional ballad is about the rise and fall of the Marvel Comics superhero Deadpool, a wisecracking mercenary left with severe physical scars after undergoing an experimental mutation.
True to her chest-thumping, power-ballad style, Dion's voice soars through the ballad as she stands centerstage in an empty theater in the video, wearing a flowing, powder-blue gown.
Halfway through, a string quartet appears behind her, then Deadpool dances onstage, pirouetting around Dion while performing an interpretive dance. As she finishes singing, Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds, pops up in the audience and deadpans that she'll have to do a second take because "she's too good."
"You're at like an 11, we need to get you down to a five, five-and-a-half tops. Just phone it in," he suggests. She, in turn, snaps, "Listen, this thing only goes to 11. Beat it, Spider-Man."
"Deadpool 2" is expected to be released May 18.
Kane Brown's new duet partner
Kane Brown just keeps setting records and making records.
As his new single,"Heaven," climbed to No. 2 on Billboard's Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts, the singer released a new duet on April 27 with Camila Cabelo, a remix of her smash hit, "Never Be the Same."
The title track of Cabelo's platinum debut album is, ironically, also No. 2 on Billboard's Pop Songs Top 40.
Brown made country music history when he became the only artist in Billboard history to simultaneously top all five country charts.
"Heaven" has held the No. 1 spot for seven weeks on Nielsen's On-Demand Audio Core Country Streaming chart, and is Brown's third track to achieve platinum certification.
'What If' he wins a Billboard Award
Speaking of duets, just two days after the sizzling performance by Brown and Lauren Alaina of their chart-topping duet, "What If" at the Academy of Country Music Awards, the pals since seventh-grade learned they also had a Billboard Music Award nomination for Top Country Song,
The Billboard Music Awards will air May 20 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
"What If" has strong competition. It's up against "Body Like a Back Road" by Sam Hunt, "Small Town Boy" by Dustin Lynch, "Meant To Be" by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, and "In Case You Didn't Know" by Brett Young.
"Meant To Be" is currently No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs and Country Streaming Songs charts.
Brown is also a Billboard nominee for Top Country Artist with Luke Combs, Sam Hunt, Thomas Rhett and Chris Stapleton.
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.