Is Jimmie Allen ditching country? New song teaser alludes to it & to sexual assault claims

Jimmie Allen finally let the cat out of the bag.  

The Milton country superstar shared on Instagram he's dropping a new single titled "Better Now" on Friday, Nov. 17. He might perform it when he plays two Christmas charity concerts in Dewey Beach. (See below for more details.)

The tune is available for preorder on select streaming platforms. 

From the new teaser video Allen shared Wednesday, Nov. 9, on Instagram, he seems to address the fallout that occurred after he countersued two anonymous women who filed lawsuits against him for sexual assault in May and June. 

No charges have been filed against the artist.   

To better understand Allen's new teaser video, here's the backdrop to the first teaser he shared on IG last week.  

It's a short clip that opens with the words "Somewhere Down Home .... ." The video doesn't have any music, and it shows the singer in a field where he’s starting a fire in a rusty barrel. It ends with the message "11.17.23."  

The second teaser Allen posted on Wednesday is similar. The artist is sporting a bandana and twists in his hair, while rocking a hoodie, skinny jeans and cowboy boots.  

Allen starts another fire. This time he sips on a cold drink and sets a wide-brim hat on fire, followed by a carboard sign with the letters "BBR." It ends with Allen smiling at the camera. 

Easter eggs in Jimmie Allen's new video teaser

The carboard sign that read "BBR" is likely a reference to the singer moving on from BBR Music Group, the record label that immediately dropped Allen in June after a second accuser came forward and made national headlines.  

BBR is the label Allen rose to fame with. He released his debut album "Mercury Lane" under BBR, plus he released his multiplatinum-selling records "Best Shot" and "Make Me Want To" on the label.  

The wide-brim hat the Delaware singer set ablaze may be a clue that Allen is rebranding his image and is possibly leaving country music. 

Is Jimmie Allen leaving country music?

His fans have been speculating for weeks that Allen might be ditching country.  

On Wednesday, Oct. 25, for example, Allen posted a portrait of himself on Instagram sporting hair twists, sunglasses and a leather jacket. It's an edgier look than fans have been accustomed to seeing him rock over the years, compared with the cowboy hats, wide-brim suit jackets and occasional short haircut he’s known to showcase.    

The photo caption from his Oct. 25 post included lines from the song "Lost One" by rapper Jay-Z. (For context, Jay-Z is nicknamed Hov or "Jay-Hova.")  

Allen's caption read: "I heard mutha #%#! Saying they made HOV." The singer's fans reacted to his post. 

"Noooooo. Jimmy please tell me you aren’t crossing over to the other side," a concerned fan wrote. "Please come back to County," pleaded another supporter.  

Not everyone, however, disapproved of Allen's post. 

"I have to admit, I’m loving the new style. It definitely suits you," cosigned a fan. "My man! Love ya," cheered another fan. 

Where to preorder Jimmie Allen's 'Better Now'?

It's not far-fetched to think Allen could leave country because he was popular for singing R&B on campus when he attended Delaware State University around 2005. 

Allen hasn’t shared what his new single “Better Now” sounds like, so it’s unclear what musical direction that tune is going in.  

Then again, that song title is likely a clue that Allen is undergoing some sort of makeover.  

But fans might get more insight from Allen before the tune drops on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and deezer on Friday, Nov. 17. 

There's a chance Allen's supporters will hear the new tune when he plays two Christmas charity concerts in Dewey Beach. The first show is already sold out.  That second show is at the Bottle & Cork on Saturday, Dec. 16. Tickets for that Christmas concert is on sale. Both shows will benefit Sussex Consortium. 

Bottle & Cork (1807 Highway One, Dewey Beach) at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. Tickets are $60 (plus $8.25 booking fee). Visit bottleandcork.com or (302) 227-7272. 

If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters. 

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