By Jacques Wang
On January 10, Thelma & James released their first-ever song, “Happy Ever After You,” which has caught everyone’s attention in the country music world. The duo, consisting of Canadian country-pop star Mackenzie Porter and her husband Jake Etheridge, has fast become a beloved musical sensation that I think you will love.
Who are Thelma & James?
Mackenzie Porter was born and raised in Medicine Hat, Alberta. She first started as an actress, appearing in TV shows like Travelers, Dinosapien, and Hells on Wheels. A musician from a young age, Porter switched career paths to make country music and released her debut self-titled album in 2014. She would end up signing with the Nashville-based music label Big Loud in 2018 and earn her first number 1 hit in Canada with the single “About You.” Porter would hit three more number 1 songs on her own in Canada with “These Days,” “Seeing Other People,” and “Pickup.” Her big break came in 2021 when she was featured on Dustin Lynch’s “Thinkin’ ‘Bout You.” This mega-hit would top the Billboard Country Airplay in December 2021, making this Porter’s first number 1 song in the US. Mackenzie Porter joins Shania Twain, Anne Murray, Terri Clark, and k.d. lang as the only Canadian female country singers who scored number 1 hits in the US, making her a household name in Canada and the United States.
Jake Etheridge, on the other hand, is an independent singer-songwriter from Lexington, South Carolina. Like Porter, Etheridge first started his career as an actor, appearing as a recurring character on the TV show Nashville. His music has been described as indie folk and Americana. His notable songs include “So In Love With You” and “Getting Over You,” which both amassed more than 4 million streams on Spotify. His song “Wherever I May Go” was featured in the 2021 horror crime movie Girl in the Basement.
Jake Etheridge and Mackenzie Porter started dating in 2014 and married in 2020. They welcomed their first child in 2024.
“Happy Ever After You” – An Experiment Turned Overnight Success
Despite knowing each other for over a decade and starting a family together, the two musicians never worked together until now. According to Mackenzie Porter, she and her husband haven’t collaborated because “Jake has always loved writing super indie singer-songwriter type songs, I’ve always loved writing more traditional country songs.” She went on to add, “We didn’t think those styles mixed… until one night our daughter was sleeping and I was feeling bummed about our careers, and I said ‘you just wanna try writing something that’s sorta me’ and this is what we wrote that night.”
On December 16, Mackenzie Porter and Jake Etheridge posted a teaser for their first-ever song, “Happy Ever After You,” which blew up on Tiktok. On December 27, the couple announced they would release it on January 10. The couple also announced a week after the formation of their duo, Thelma & James, named after Porter’s middle name and Etheridge’s first name.
After listening to their “Happy Ever After You,” I think I speak on behalf of everybody when I say they made the right call to work together. This duet follows a couple struggling to move on after a heartbreak.
“I got an old half pack of black Pall Malls / I can smoke em’ now won’t get no shit at all / I got half a mind to give you a call / But I ain’t chasin’ after you.”
“Well there’s a little more room in my chest of drawers / I got a fist size mark in my bedroom door / I got half a mind or probably more / To cover up this old tattoo.”
Each artist sings part of the verse before joining together for the chorus, singing:
“I got a hole in my heart damn near the size of Texas and I think you left it / I got a picture of you and me circa 2019 / Don’t know why I kept it / I got a story I tell myself until my face is in the blue / But I got no happy ever after you”
The chemistry and harmony between the two singers is extraordinary. Even without knowing that they are an actual couple, you can still feel the authenticity of their love for each other in their vocals.
Melody-wise, “Happy Ever After You” represents the perfect marriage of Mackenzie Porter’s country sound and Jake Etheridge’s folk sound. The strumming of an acoustic guitar and reliance on their powerful vocals create a relaxing atmosphere that is very easy to enjoy. I picture a road trip on a quiet, cloudy beach coast when I listen to this song.
Overall, “Happy Ever After You” is a great song. Thanks to their blend of country and folk, Thelma & James have created a unique sound that is true to both artists’ musical styles.
Apparently, I’m not the only one who loved “Happy Ever After You.” Thelma & James’ debut song has received tons of positive feedback on social media. Country superstar Luke Combs wrote on Tiktok, “Hey. This is really damn good.” Similar comments have been echoed by fellow well-known country singers like Ella Langley, Jordan Davis, and Ernest, to name a few. British pop star Natasha Bedingfield also commented, “These lyrics ar [sic] brilliant and your voices” on Instagram, showcasing the global reach of that duet.
What’s next?
Five days after the release of “Happy Ever After You,” the viral duet made it to the Top 10 Debut Songs list on Spotify. There is no denying that Thelma & James hit a home run with their debut song. I think Thelma & James will become a huge commercial success, especially in Canada. I believe “Happy Ever After You” will be put on Canadian and US country radio.
Last Friday, the husband-wife duo shared a snippet of their next song, “First Love.” Like “Happer Ever After You,” social media and fellow country artists are showering this new duet with praise and admiration. Given their songs’ fast release and virality, I expect Thelma & James’ debut album to come out later this year.
Thelma and James are obviously off to a powerful start. I’m excited to see where their music will end up, and I can’t wait for their future projects.