JOHNNYSWIM And Anthony Ramos Share New Collaboration 'Stranger'
(The Syndicate) Husband-and-wife duo JOHNNYSWIM (Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano Ramirez) release the deluxe edition of their acclaimed fifth studio album When The War Is Over, featuring five new tracks including the powerful "Stranger," a collaboration with Grammy Award-winning actor and recording artist Anthony Ramos (Hamilton, In the Heights). The release arrives just ahead of the couple's October headline tour, which will take them across the Midwest, East Coast, and Southeast.
"Stranger" is the second of two new songs co-written with Ramos for the deluxe release - following the intimate ballad "Losing You" - and the only track on which he also joins Abner and Amanda on vocals. Written by Abner Ramirez, Amanda Sudano Ramirez, and Ramos, and produced, mixed, and mastered by Jonathan Grant Berlin, "Stranger" captures the intimacy and intensity of love's hardest moments.
"'Stranger' is a song we wrote and had the joy of performing with Anthony Ramos," JOHNNYSWIM shared. "It captures a moment every couple faces - when, after being together long enough or intensely enough, there can be times when you suddenly feel like you're looking at a stranger. In those moments of conflict or hard conversations, it's a reminder to say: I'm still the person who loves you, and we're still on the same team. Even when it feels like we're strangers, 'I'm on your side, baby.'"
The release carries a deeply personal resonance. The duo first experienced Ramos on stage during the original Broadway run of Hamilton, an encounter that left them profoundly moved - and led to a chance meeting with Ramos' family outside the theater that felt like fate. A year later, Ramos posted a cover of one of JOHNNYSWIM's songs on Instagram, sparking a friendship that's since grown into a lasting personal and creative bond. Ramos even joined JOHNNYSWIM on stage last week at The Fonda in Los Angeles to debut "Stranger" live.
The deluxe edition also features "Sweet Tangerine," "Break My Heart (A Song For The Lodge)," and "Who's Gonna Love Me" - the latter a fan-favorite from the archives, originally written in 2010 with Britten Newbill, revisited for its timeless tone and poignant simplicity. Together, the expanded project deepens JOHNNYSWIM's mix of Americana, folk rock, blues, and soul while offering an intimate window into love, loss, resilience, and renewal.
Looking ahead, JOHNNYSWIM will hit the road for a fall headline tour, return with special December holiday shows, and join the inaugural Moon River At Sea Sixthman cruise in 2026.
JOHNNYSWIM 2025 Headline Tour
Sep 25 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda
Oct 2 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
Oct 3 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom
Oct 4 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman
Oct 6 - Des Moines, IA - Hoyt Sherman
Oct 7 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Ballroom
Oct 8 - Grand Rapids, MI - 20 Monroe
Oct 10 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's
Oct 11 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
Oct 13 - Portsmouth, NH - The Music Hall
Oct 14 - Hartford, CT - Infinity Hall
Oct 16 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Oct 17 - Richmond, VA - The National
Oct 18 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
Oct 20 - Orlando, FL - House of Blues
Oct 21 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theatre
Oct 23 - Athens, GA - Georgia Theatre
Oct 24 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City
Oct 25 - Nashville, TN - The Pinnacle
JOHNNYSWIM December Dates
Dec 6 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap
Dec 8 - Bethlehem, PA - Musikfest Cafe
Dec 9 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theatre
Dec 11 - Wilmington, NC - Kenan Auditorium
Dec 12 - Chattanooga, TN - The Walker Theatre
Dec 13 - Charleston, SC - The Riviera Theater
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