Devin Dawson Heads to Abandoned Prison in ‘All On Me’ Video

“The cool thing is there’s three characters. It’s me, the girl and the prison,” Dawson told People Magazine. “It’s all overgrown and there’s foreboding skies. The whole idea of the video is it’s apocalyptic kind of times — it’s like the world’s about to end and it’s just me and the girl.”

Devin Dawson Heads to Abandoned Prison in ‘All On Me’ Video
Devin Dawson, Photo courtesy Warner Music Nashville

Just west of downtown Nashville lays the dark, abandoned property of the Tennessee State Prison. Also just west of downtown Nashville lays the set for Devin Dawson’s new music video for “All on Me.” Uncoincidentally, they are the same thing.

“The cool thing is there’s three characters. It’s me, the girl and the prison,” Dawson told People Magazine. “It’s all overgrown and there’s foreboding skies. The whole idea of the video is it’s apocalyptic kind of times — it’s like the world’s about to end and it’s just me and the girl.”

The abandoned prison, which operated from 1898 to 1992, is probably not the first thing anyone would think of when hearing the upbeat summer single, which has over 14 million on-demand streams. But Dawson appreciated the paradox between the eerie prison and cheery tune.

“I wanted the visuals to contrast this bouncy, summer driving song,” Dawson says. “It’s playing off of that first line: ‘Hey, I know the woes and the weight of the world can get you down, but don’t let it.’ So essentially, it’s like, ‘Hey, I know it’s the end and there’s nothing we can do about it, so I’m here for you, come lean on me.’ ”

The “All on Me” clip features black and white shots of overgrown landscaping, a foreboding rotting gate, and ivy covered stone walls. All the visual aspects are set against the carefree music, as well as clips of Dawson and the female character driving and dancing. It concludes with ominous clouds and smoke rolling in as the video turns to a red hue, signifying the “end of the world” approaching the couple.

After kicking off the year on tour with Maren Morris, Devin Dawson is gearing up for his forthcoming debut album, as well as a five-city run on the Soul2Soul World Tour with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.