"Why" (stylized in all caps) is a song by Jon Bellion featuring Luke Combs from the former's third studio album, Father Figure (2025). It was released on May 23, 2025, as the album's fifth single. He wrote the song "48hrs before [his] first son was born." The accompanying music video premiered the same day, directed by Alex Palumbo.
Background
He shared in his email newsletter the story behind the song:
Literally 48 hours before my first son came into this world I was in a session and the artist cancelled. I was working with friends (Amy Allen and Blake Slatkin). I was actually ready to head home when the artist cancelled but Blake said "I want to make a Jon Bellion record".
My immediate response was "I haven't written a song for myself in years, and I'll never be an artist" to which he replied "I don't care" haha
For the first time in a while it forced me to dig super deep into where I was at in that moment personally, and out of nowhere an actual panic attack hit me. I literally started thinking thoughts like am I crazy for bringing a life into this world? What if something goes wrong? Am I even capable of raising a boy? What is the point of like life itself kinda shit.
From there the song kinda just poured outta me and Amy crushed it just ushering it in from the sky with me.
I went home thinking I would eventually just give it to another artist someday but over the last few years 4 different major artist cut the song and every single one of them told me the same thing. "I can't sing this song because there is a spirit on. It just feels like it's yours. I can't take this from you." Which frustrated the shit out of me cuz I was convinced I would never be an artist.
Fast forward and I'm typing this message to you guys as my first born is chirping in my ear about some Pokémon nonsense and I can barely finish typing this. 😂 God is wild like that.
This song doesn't really solve. I still have questions on a grand scale. But this song gives me a weird peace about it all. Even if it's only for the length of the song.
I wanna thank Luke for coming in and elevating this song in every way.
TenRoc, Pete, and The Diner for always being down to help.
Aaron Dessner for BODYING the bridge music I couldn't figure out for months.
And Blake and Amy for being supportive and through the roof talented and writing this with me.
He said about the song:
When I write for myself I always try to reach deep into a place that's almost draining to get to, my North Star rule is always that if I can bring a nugget back from diving deep into myself, the deeper I go to get it the more universal the nugget will be for everyone that I show it to.
This song is from a place inside me so deep I can't really even begin to explain it. And something about it not solving or providing a concrete answer brings me peace. Knowing that a lot of you will hear this and just … sit with it. And experience what ever emotion comes up for you brings me some sort of joy. It makes me emotional when I know humans are feeling that universal feeling of loneliness or sadness, that feeling we all try to mask and distract ourselves from feeling. We run from asking the questions to our friends and family that will bring us clarity and closeness because even the thought of the pain of addressing them is unbearable for most of us. I wrote WHY and realized this a moment for people to pause and feel what ever they need to feel. And maybe one day you can out loud ask those questions of self worth and purpose to your friends and family and even publicly, but until then, this song will do.
Luke feels like a buddy I've known since high school as ridiculous as that sounds hahahaha I just respect and admire his approach to this insane game and couldn't be more honored to have him on this joint. A true regular guy with extraordinary gifts who chooses his family consciously. Amazing.
Personnel
- Aaron Dessner – writing, production, recording, programming, bass, guitar, drums, keyboards
- Amy Allen – writing
- Bella Blasko – recording
- Blake Slatkin – writing, production, recording, programming, guitar, keyboards
- Chip Matthews – vocal production, recording
- Jason "TenRoc" Cornet – co-production
- John Arbuckle – recording
- Jonathan "Jon" Bellion – lead vocals, writing, production, vocal production, programming, mixing, bass, guitar, drums, keyboards
- Luke Combs – featured vocals
- Manny Marroquin – mixing
- Pete Nappi – writing, recording, keyboards
- The Diner – co-production
- Zach Pereyra – mastering
Audio
Lyrics
[Verse 1: Jon Bellion]
I'm scared to meet you 'cause then I might know you
And then once I know you, I might fall in love
Once I'm in love, then my heart is wide open
For you to walk in, drop a bomb, blow it up
[Chorus: Jon Bellion]
So why love anything, anything, anything at all?
Why love anything at all?
If the higher I fly is the further I fall
Then why love anything at all?
[Verse 2: Luke Combs]
Stressed and strung out about things that could happen
And I could move mountains with the worry I've done
So I called my father and he started laughing
He said, "You think it's bad now, wait 'til you have a son"
[Chorus: Luke Combs, Jon Bellion]
So why love anything, anything, anything at all?
Why love anything at all?
If the higher I fly is the further I fall
Then why love anything at all? (Oh-oh, oh)
[Bridge: Luke Combs, Jon Bellion]
Why love (Why love), why love, why love
Why love (Why love), why love, why love
Why love (Why love) anything at all? (Anything at all?)
If the higher I fly is the further I fall
[Chorus: Jon Bellion, Luke Combs, Both]
Then why love anything, anything (Oh), anything at all?
Why love (Love) anything at all? (Ooh)
If the higher I fly (Higher I fly) is the further I fall
Why love (Why love, why love) anything at all?