With the release of new album, “Livin My Best Life’, Dylan Scott has shown himself to be a serious melody maker and songs like recent number one hit, ‘New Truck’ are evidence of that. Scott’s use of writers like HARDY, Ernest, Hunter Phelps, Ben Johnson, Thomas Rhett, Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley and even Morgan Wallen on his second album have helped him add some muscle into his slick Pop/Country sound and the singer, famous for previous hits like ‘My Girl’, now stands poised for both fan success and critical acclaim. He’s also a throughly nice guy, something that comes through fairly quickly when you get to spend some time with him, like we did recently.
Thank you for your time today, Dylan. It’s great to speak to you. Congratulations on the new album and on your recent number one hit with ‘New Truck’. What does that milestone and achievement mean you?
Thank you, man, and thank you for your time too. Having a number one is just such an awesome thing. It makes you feel like you belong, belong in Country music, you know? It’s a great thing to be up there alongside all the other great artists who are having big hits as well.
The sound of Country music has shifted a little since 2017 when you released your debut album. I feel your sound has shifted along with it. There’s a little bit more muscle behind the songs on ‘Livin My Best Life’. Was that a deliberate intention on your part or just a consequence of the writers you’ve worked with this time?
I think it’s just a part of growing up, man. Getting older, you know. Since we recorded that first album I have had two kids and live a totally different life to the one I used to live. It’s got a little bit to do with that and a little bit to do with the nature of Country music and what is going on right now. It’s been a good thing.
HARDY has three songs on this album and I was wondering what it is about his writing that appeals to you?
In my opinion he’s one of the best songwriters in Nashville. I don’t know what it is about his songwriting but he hits it every time! His brain is different to anyone else’s and he’s so great at what he does.
What do you look for in an outside song or a song that get’s pitched to you? Are you instinctive in your choices or does each song take a little time and a few listens?
No, I’ll know off the first listen if the song is for me. I may take a little time and a few listens after that though. I’ll know pretty quickly if it is a song that relates to my life and what’s going on.
When we asked Jon Pardi the same question recently he said he plays the song to his wife, Summer, and her girlfriends. Do you have a trusted inner circle too?
Yeah, it’s kinda the same thing! Me and my wife have been together since we were 15 years old. She will tell me, whether it’s a song I’ve written or it’s come in from somebody else, if the song is good or not! I take her judgement over anyone else’s because she will always tell me the truth.
The title track, ‘Livin My Best Life’ was written by Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett. How did that find its way to you?
You know, that one came in through my record label. They found it and sent it over to me. Since then, though, Tyler Hubbard has been sending me stuff all the time. That’s really cool, now, to be at the point in my career where I am getting sent songs that are on the A list, you know? It’s so cool to have that.
My favourite song on the album is ‘Tough’. There’s some wonderful storytelling going on on that song. Was that what first appealed to you when you heard that song?
Yeah, once again that appealed to me straight away and related to my life as a father. It’s about a dad talking to his son and about teaching him to be tough. I knew it related to me as soon as I heard it, it’s such a great, well-written song.
This album is packed full of potential singles and number one hits. Is it going to give you a headache as to which songs to release because there’s a lot of different choices on it?
Yeah, probably! (laughing) I’m not gonna think too much about it though. We’ll let the fans talk about the songs that they like and see which ones are making an impact on streaming services too. I’m already into writing the next batch now as well! I want to keep the music coming.
I appreciate you saying that about this album.
Which of the songs was your favourite to record in the studio and which is your favourite to play live, because it’s not always the same song.
Probably my favourite song to play live is ‘Can’t Have Mine’. There’s a lot of momentum behind that one right now. I wrote that one and am really proud of that it. Another love song and it’s so great to sing.
In the studio, the one that I enjoyed recording the most was probably ‘In Our Blood’. That’s just such a cool song, you know? It’s got an edge to it and is a bit darker than my usual songs. I’d recorded the song and started to think that it needed something else. I’d known Jimmie Allen for a long time and sent it over to him. He loved it. He went into the studio after I’d recorded it and laid down his vocals and it turned out so good.
Another great song from the album is ‘Good Times Go By Too Fast’. That one is a slightly different sound for you with the huge drum beats and Coldplay-esque backing vocals. Is that going to be in your live set eventually?
It’s not in there yet but I hope to be able to add it in as we tour through fall and into winter. It’s also one of my favourites and I love how different it sounds. I wanted there to be a variety of sounds and styles on the album and not have a set of songs that made people think they had heard them all before. That song is one of my favourites and it fits what I wanted to achieve with ‘Livin My Best Life’ so well.
At 16 songs ‘…..Best Life’ is quite a long album. Did you have to put a lot of thought into the track listing and sequencing of the album?
Not necessarily the flow of it as much. I think most people these days don’t often listen to an album straight through, from beginning to end, in sequence, you know? I know there are still people that do but that wasn’t what we were aiming for. We had way more songs than the 16 that made it and it was tough to leave out some of the other songs.
It’s been so long since I put an album out that I wanted to give people as much music as I could! (laughing) I’ve got more coming down the line!
I heard you on the Bobby Bones show recently and I wondered whether you get nervous doing big interviews and performances like that these days or does the adrenaline just take over?
Yeah, we’ve done things like that for a while now. To say I’m not nervous wouldn’t be true but I don’t get overly nervous. The anticipation leading up to it is a good combination of nerves and excitement but the whole thing is kinda like riding a bike, you know? It’s just what we do!
With two children in your family now how hard is it to be a touring musician, husband and father? Are there things that you and your wife, Blair, try to protect and ring-fence about family life?
It’s easy to do and achieve when you have a rock star wife, you know!? (laughing) Blair is awesome. We’re home in-between dates and I get to see the kids but it makes it so easy when you have the support at home from your wife, who get’s it and understands that this is what we do.
I guess the pandemic gave you a couple of years at home at a crucial time in the kids’ life that you wouldn’t ordinarily have had?
Yeah. Obviously the pandemic was a tough time for folks and there were so many sad and horrible things about it but for us, with very young kids, I got to spend time at home with them at a crucial time of their lives between the ages of 1 and 3. I got to see so many milestones that I would have missed if we were out on the road.
Are we going to see a cover version of ‘What Does the Fox Say?’ sometime soon then? (Check out Dylan’s Instagram where he is singing that with his kids!) Can see yourself using showing us more scenes of family life on your socials in the years to come as part of your brand and as part of who you are?
(laughing) There will NOT be a cover of ‘What Does the Fox Say?’ anytime soon, no! (laughing) Yeah, for sure. My kids have always been part of my career. I want to keep things real and always show people who I am and what is happening in my life, it’s a way to keep things real. If folks like it, all the better, if they don’t – well, I’m sorry but that’s the way it is.
You’ll see a lot of the kids and Blair up on my socials in the years to come. You have to show people that you are a real person!
You’ve got a great new album and a fresh number one in ‘New Truck’. What are the other goals that you have for the ‘Livin My Best Life’ phase of your career?
Just to continue to grow as an artist and a songwriter. If there are more hits that sit at the top of the charts from it then that will be great but I won’t worry if there aren’t. That’s not what I made this album for. I want to solidify myself into Country music a little further during this phase, that’s what it’s all about right now. Lay down some solid foundations for the years to come.
I’m hoping that we get to see you over here in the UK on this phase. Maybe next year in 2023 perhaps?
I would love to come over! Hopefully in the next year or so that will happen, I really want to come over and play for you all, it would be so cool. Thank you for taking the time to speak to me and say hi to all the folks over in the UK for me.
Buy or stream Dylan Scott’s new album, ‘Livin My Best Life’ on all platforms right now.
