Lainey Wilson and John Mayer Give Fans a Behind-the-Scenes Look at “Phone, Keys, Wallet”
- Michael Carroll
- Jun 4
- 2 min read
On the same day “Phone, Keys, Wallet” hit the world, Lainey Wilson and John Mayer gave fans a rare behind-the-scenes look at how this collaboration came to life.
The upbeat, chaotic love song, which is out now, features Mayer on electric and acoustic guitar. He also co-produced the track with Wilson at his Chaplin Studios in Los Angeles. On the afternoon of June 4, the two artists joined an Instagram Live to talk through how the collaboration came together and what made the process feel so natural.
During the livestream, Wilson shared that the song was not originally planned to unfold the way it did, calling it “a story within a story,” adding that “that’s what music is about.” She explained that the song captures the chaos of her life on the road and the feeling of finding someone who loves you through all of it.
Mayer said the guitar solo felt like a live solo and explained that he wanted to add “a bit of lushness” to the acoustics while bringing the song into his guitar-driven world. He also said it was special for everyone involved to see the track come to life inside the studio.
Mayer admitted that he could not stop listening to the early Dropbox sample for approval. He said he would play guitar along to it at home and imagine himself playing it live with Wilson. The two also said they hoped to perform the song together live.
“I can’t get that song out of my head,” Mayer said.
Wilson credited Mayer with making the song feel “expensive,” while Mayer praised Wilson’s vocals, saying she sounds like “a gospel choir” on the track.
The song was first teased by Wilson on Instagram with Ring camera-style footage of her and her husband, Devlin “Duck” Hodges, saying goodbye at the door, only for Wilson to keep coming back after forgetting her phone, keys and wallet. The rollout also included mysterious billboards saying Lainey Wilson had lost her phone, keys and wallet. Fans who called the number on the billboard reportedly got the chance to hear the song early, adding another clever layer to the release.
The release also comes shortly after Wilson and Hodges tied the knot in Tennessee, giving the love song even more personal meaning.
During the livestream, Mayer also asked Wilson a few rapid-fire questions inspired by the song title. Each question covered something related to either Wilson's phone, keys, or Wallet. When he asked what Hodges’ contact name is in her phone, Wilson revealed that it is now saved as “Husband.” When asked how much cash she had in her wallet, Wilson joked that her dad would be mad to know she had none. As for her keys, Wilson said she has keys to her SUV and an ATV.
More than anything, the livestream gave fans a rare look at the heart behind the track: a chaotic, catchy love song made with intention, humor and of course, excellent guitar playing.
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