Soul singer-songwriter Ethan Tucker has carried a reputation that both opened doors and quietly boxed him in: the acoustic guy. The road-tested songwriter with a guitar slung low, delivering soul-searching songs built for campfires and quiet moments. With his new single, “Number,” Tucker is deliberately stepping beyond that frame—and doing so with intention. To listen to the new tune, click HERE. 
“I feel like I’ve got this reputation of just being an acoustic guy,” Tucker admits. “But with this new record and new music, ‘Number’ really shows my growth by experimenting with sounds.”
Ethan Tucker returns with his new single “Number,” a groove-driven new single out on Friday, January 30th. Produced by Dru DeCaro (Miguel, John Legend) and Adam Kobylarz (T-Pain, Fousheé), the standout new track blends neo-soul funk with elements of roots and Americana.
Written during a stretch of heavy touring and life on the road, “Number” was inspired by the superficial connections that come with a fast-moving lifestyle. Tucker recalls, “I joked with a friend that I’d been collecting a lot of phone numbers, but had found nothing substantial. He laughed and said, ‘Sometimes getting the number is just where the relationship should end.’ I wrote the song that night on the bus.”
“Number” arrives with a fuller band-driven approach, signaling a creative shift that mirrors where Tucker finds himself personally. “There’s a full-band sound,” he says. “The music I really feel like has matured, and I feel like it’s really representing where I’m at in my life as a mature man—not just the young up-and-coming guy with an acoustic guitar, but really somebody who is establishing music.”
Rather than leaning solely into seduction, “Number” explores the subtle tension of human connection—the moment where curiosity, chemistry, and understanding overlap. “It’s not just about the sensual side of interaction,” Tucker says. “It’s really about the human interaction… that initial interest in someone else.”
In the studio, Tucker partnered with producer Dru DeCaro, known for work with artists including Miguel and John Legend. The collaboration stripped away ego in favor of exploration. “Working with him in the studio was such a treat,” Tucker says. “Just the two of us collaborating, switching off on instruments, making the song—it was so much fun.”
Ultimately, Tucker hopes listeners feel that energy first and foremost. “First of all, I just want people to feel good,” he says. “That’s what music should do. What did Bob Marley say—when the music hits, you feel no pain.”
With “Number,” Ethan Tucker isn’t abandoning his roots—he’s expanding them, letting connection replace expectation and growth guide the sound forward.
“Number” marks Tucker’s third single drop off his upcoming album, following “Fly Back Home” and “Bad Man” (feat. Sean the Shaman) in 2025. The new singles prelude a forthcoming full-length album arriving later this year, that promises to be Tucker’s most sonically diverse and cohesive work yet.
Ethan Tucker’s trademark sound of acoustic roots and layered electric guitars, combined with an unmistakable soulful and bluesy vocal, has brought him around the world. His debut album ‘Misunderstood’ – recently featured in Netflix’s 2025 breakout series “Ransom Canyon” – released in 2015. The following year, Ethan took his career to the national stage when he competed on NBC’s ‘The Voice’ and earned two chair turns by Adam Levine and Blake Shelton, advancing to represent Team Blake in the Battle Rounds. He went on to gain loyal fans touring nationally alongside Jimmy Cliff, Buddy Guy, and The Wailers, as well as supporting his peers Slightly Stoopid, G. Love & Special Sauce and Michael Franti. For tour dates, music, merch and more, visit ethantuckermusic.com.
Watch the video for “Number”:
Watch The Full interview with Ethan Tucker from Closer To The Sun:
