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Shaboozey and Matty Matheson are staring up at the sky. It’s a partly cloudy day and the country superstar and the Emmy-winning The Bear actor look on as a car flies through the air.
“My jacket was in there,” Shaboozey says of his Levi’s trucker. “We’ll get you another one,” Matheson responds, before the car goes up in flames over the dusty hillside below. “There is no other one,” Shaboozey replies.
While the scene plays out like a trailer from the summer’s most stylish new Western, the duo star in Levi’s latest global Icons campaign. Over the course of three short films, directed by Glenn Kitson with cinematographer Galo Olivares, Shaboozey and Matheson throw on a few classic Levi’s pieces, including the 501 Originals, a Levi’s trucker jacket, and a Western shirt.
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Levi’s Trucker Jacket
“Being part of a campaign that leans into Western spirit and soul — but still feels rooted in authenticity — hit home,” Shaboozey tells Rolling Stone. In short, it’s two icons rocking some of the style world’s most iconic wardrobe staples.
On the set, the Grammy nominee explains that filming the new campaign felt like “being dropped into a favorite movie scene — the crew, the gear, the energy … we were just vibing,” Shaboozey says. “It had that dusty, sun-drenched Western edge with a modern twist. For the playlist, we rolled with a blend — some Marty Robbins, a little Chris Stapleton, and even some old-school country I grew up hearing at home in Virginia. That mix of outlaw grit and melody, it just kept things loose and real.”
Levi’s
In one of the short films, Shaboozey says that he loves Westerns, which is something that also carries over into his life outside of the campaign’s shoot.
“Man, I live off Westerns,” he says, adding that some of his favorites include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, True Grit, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, along with Once Upon a Time in the West. “They’re all in the mix when I’m thinking story, mood, and character,” he says.
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Classic Denim
Levi’s 501s
While Shaboozey wears a few different looks in the new campaign, there’s a piece of clothing that he turns to the most. “For me, it’s gotta be a classic pair of 501s — something broken-in, comfortable, and timeless,” Shaboozey says. “Whether I’m writing in my studio or hopping on a call, I want something that feels lived-in and real — just like the stories I’m trying to tell.”
For Shaboozey, the star songwriter explains that the Levi’s campaign “isn’t just clothes — it’s a nod to the people and stories that raised me,” he says. “The West, Virginia, the cross-pollination of country and hip-hop… Levi’s showed they get that, and I’m proud to be part of telling that story.”
Levi’s
This isn’t the first time that Shaboozey and Levi’s have worked together — the two have previously collaborated in the past when the denim brand designed custom pieces for the country star’s performances.
Levi’s
Following the campaign, Shaboozey will embark on his upcoming The Great American Roadshow Tour in support of his LP, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going.
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Shaboozey ‘Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going’
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When the tour kicks off in Indianapolis, Indiana, this September, fans can likely expect to see some denim on stage. “I love all things vintage,” he says, when asked about his go-to touring looks. “On tour, I like to have a good pair of denim and a vintage tee, maybe something with a little fringe or lived-in edge. For premieres, I’ll dial it up just enough — something clean but honest, with a nod to heritage. It’s gotta feel like me. Otherwise, what’s the point?”
