Ruston Kelly Pickleball Song Release: Singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly will release his fourth studio album, Pale, Through the Window, on September 12. One standout track from the album is titled “Pickleball,” which is based on a real-life date between Kelly and his girlfriend, Tia Cubelic, in Nashville.
A New Sound for a New Story
Ruston Kelly’s “Pickleball” brings a fresh style to his music. Stephen Andrew Galiher wrote that the song “shares DNA with 2000s-era Blink-182,” and compared its sound to popular tracks like “What’s My Age Again?” and “Stay Together for the Kids.”
Kelly also talked about the inspiration behind the tune in an Instagram post. “I whipped out the baritone electric and I was like, ‘Alright, Dave Matthews is kissing Box Car Racer on the mouth. What does that sound like?’ It’s like, ‘What if that song just wasn’t folky at all? What if it was an absolute banger?’”
The First Date That Started It All
Ruston Kelly told VICE that the idea for the song came from his first date with Tia Cubelic in Nashville. “I asked [Tia] to hang out in Nashville, and she’s like, ‘Okay, like, ‘Do you play pickleball?’”
Although he had never played before, Kelly agreed. “In my head, I was like, ‘I’ve never played pickleball in my life’ … I rolled up there not knowing what to expect, and kind of just like completely dove into a new scenario.”
It turned out that Tia Cubelic was much more experienced on the court. “She kicked my ass when we played. She’s really good,” he said. “I was just like sweating actually, [which] I say in the song. Like, I was sweating bullets.”
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iSVldvTyqbM
Music Born from a Moment
Ruston Kelly described how the date eventually became the heart of the song. “Joking about how he ‘met [his] match’ with this ‘beautiful girl’ who was ‘absolutely dominating me on the court,’ Ruston says he eventually realized there was a song here and its name was ‘Pickleball,’” explained Stephen Andrew Galiher.
A Fun Song with Personal Meaning
“Pickleball” stands out as a fun and energetic track that captures a real-life moment. It combines humor, pop-punk influences, and Kelly’s signature storytelling style.
The song may introduce a new side of Ruston Kelly to fans and could attract listeners who enjoy lively, relatable songs. With Pale, Through the Window set to release in September, “Pickleball” might become a standout hit.
News in Brief: Ruston Kelly Pickleball Song Release
Ruston Kelly’s new album Pale, Through the Window arrives Sept. 12 and features “Pickleball,” a pop-punk track inspired by his first date with Tia Cubelic in Nashville.
ALSO READ: Chesterland Hosts Rare Kids-Only Pickleball Showdown—Young Players Invited to Compete July 20