Find Your Windows-Down Summer Anthem in Sammy Arriaga’s “Lighter Up”

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If you found Florida Georgia Line’s “Dirt” a little too sentimental, or found Jason Aldean’s “Burning It Down” a little too….terrible, we’ve got the perfect summer jam for you. “Lighter Up,” the first proper release from up-and-coming singer/songwriter Sammy Arriaga, is made to be screamed at the top of your lungs with the car windows down & the stereo up.

“Lighter Up” fits radio’s current mold to a T – and that’s not a bad thing. We could hear this track being played to death on country radio amongst the greats. Arriaga’s strong high register gives the track a Hunter Hayes feeling – catapulting that glorious chorus to new heights. By the time the 3 minutes are over, it’ll be hard to resist singing along.

The single version of the track gives “Lighter Up” that radio-ready gloss needed, but we prefer the “Live Acoustic Sessions” version of the song. The stripped production allows Arriaga’s voice to shine, while the addition of new instruments give the track a more traditional country feel.


Arriaga’s profile has been on the rise for most of 2014 – playing shows with acts like Gloriana, Trace Atkins, and Randy Houser. Born in Miami and of Cuban descent, he brings a Latin flair to the country genre that has never been done before. While it might not sound right on paper, there’s a Spanish version of Lighter Up in the works and it sounds pretty damn good.

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