Still in his teens but already turning heads across the genre, Ty Myers is fast emerging as one of music’s most exciting young voices. Raised in Texas and shaped by a musical upbringing steeped in classic sounds, Myers developed an early fascination with songwriting and musicianship, gravitating toward the kind of guitar-driven artists and timeless influences that give his music an unmistakable old-soul quality. That deep respect for craft sets him apart from many of his contemporaries, with Myers blending youthful perspective and lived-in emotion in a way that feels far beyond his years.
Now preparing to become the youngest artist ever to step onto the main stage at C2C: Country to Country in London, Belfast and Glasgow, Myers arrives in the UK at a pivotal moment in his career. His debut album ‘The Select' introduced listeners to a thoughtful songwriter with serious intent, while upcoming sophomore release ‘Heavy on the Soul,' arriving March 27, promises to dig even deeper into themes of growth, identity and emotional honesty. As his international audience continues to grow, Myers stands on the brink of another breakout year, carrying both the confidence of a rising star and the instincts of a musician rooted firmly in tradition. We caught up to talk all about it.
Thank you for your time today, Ty. We've been following the rocket ride that is your career for a while now so it's lovely to finally get to talk to you about it.
That's awesome, thank you for having me. I'm over the moon about coming over to play in Europe next week, we leave tomorrow!
The last couple of years must feel like a bit of a whirlwind to you? Sold out tours, platinum records and now international shows. Was there a point in the last year or so where you realised that this wasn't just a social media thing and that a real career was taking off?
You know, I've felt like that since it started really. Ever since I can remember there's never been anything else I've wanted to do. I was planning on going to Belmont University in Nashville to shave off some years so that I could do this but the ‘THIS' kinda ended up being dropped in my lap and so I didn't have to do that! It's been wild, it's been definitely faster than I thought it was going to be but it's so much fun and a real blessing.
I find it heartwarming, and I'm not being patronising, when a career just seems to organically flourish out of nothing and an artist's talent is at the forefront of that explosion rather than manufactured marketing. I feel like that has happened with you.
I hope so. There's not a whole lot of people that are my age talking to other people that are my age, right? I feel like it's that connection that has served me. I get them. We are a very emotional group or generation and a lot of people don't seem to take those emotions seriously because we are so young.
It's a very strange time we live in right now and we all have a lot of feelings and emotion and I think people in my generation find refuge in emotional music.
A lot of your press describes you as having ‘an old soul.' Where do you think that emotional depth and wisdom comes from?
You know, I've always wondered that myself. My mom swears that I have lived on this planet multiple times before. Since I was tiny she's been saying that. I've always had a knack for writing songs. Oddly, I'm not an emotional guy in real life, which might well be my biggest fault! (laughing) If you were to start crying right here on this zoom I would not know what to do! (laughing) There's something in my brain that doesn't handle that kind of thing very well and yet I can access emotions and feelings via my music, that's always been my outlet for some reason.
Your friendship group and the kids you grew up around at home – what do they think to your success?
I mean…..(laughing) I don't know how much they think about it. They keep me humble and I'm so grateful for that. They'll give me shit about it, you know, talking at me and I just smile at them and run with it. It's all part of the way we interact. It keeps me feeling normal and they are amazing for that. I'm not sure they know just what level we seem to be reaching right now but part of me would prefer that they didn't know yet! (laughing)
Your music blends Blues, Soul and a little Country round the edges. Was there a specific artist that made you realise, when you were growing up, that you didn't have to stay in one lane?
Traditional Country was my first love. When I was little my dad would play old dance hall swing music so that was my first addiction. I loved it but when I was in the car with my mom she would listen to Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Gladys Knight and I thought they were so cool. It changed my perspective on music – which is what I am kind of going for on my new album, ‘Heavy on the Soul.' I wanted that soulful feel to run through the songs because that sound has influenced me so much.
I found Blues on my own as an extension of the soul thing. I remember the very first time I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan play guitar…… I saw him play ‘Lenny' at the El Macombo (watch it for yourself right here) – it was like an out of body experience and I knew right away that that was what I wanted to be able to do. It was like watching a superhero, like he was hovering above the normal human realm, it was insane. From that point on I devoted my life to learning the guitar.
Do you gravitate towards singers or guitarists then?
You know, that's hard. I love singing and I've never had to practice singing, it was kind of a natural gift, I've never had to take lessons or any of that stuff. I had to learn the guitar though. I feel really strongly towards guitarists, it's such a tight community although it can be quite cut-throat and some of those dudes are very opinionated! (laughing) I feel a kin ship with guitarists and it makes me try as hard as I possibly can to be a great guitar player.
With singers, I love Adele as much as I love Kris Kristofferson and there's something in the imperfection with vocals that is amazing but it's not like that at all with guitar! (laughing)
Your debut album ‘The Select' did tremendous things for you. What did you learn via that album that has informed you in the making of new album, ‘Heavy on the Soul?'
‘The Select' is such a cool album to me, my first album. It will always be so special to me. I wrote some of those songs on there when I was 12 though and I'm 18 now, so I've had them for quite a while. It's been such a long period of time from 12 to 17, there's been so much change and so I was so excited to start the new album because it was the first time I was able to write with a specific goal in mind. It was so much fun to write for the new album after learning lessons via recording ‘The Select' and then going out on tour to promote it.
You recorded ‘Heavy on the Soul' at FAME studios in Muscles Shoals, which is an iconic building. What did that environment bring out in you creatively?
Everything! You walk into that building and the music and the history is in the wood, it's in the walls. There's no avoiding it. Recording vocals in the same booth that Etta James and Aretha Franklin recorded in is like magic, there's no other feeling that beats that. Making music in there was just such a special experience.
Which song or songs from the new album are you most excited to play live? I'm hoping we get to hear ‘Two Trains' at the C2C festival.
Ohhhh, yeah, ‘Two Trains' is so much fun to play live. ‘Morning Comes,' which just came out last week is one of my favourite songs that I've ever written. The lyricism, the melody, the idea behind it – I love it. One of my favourites and I'm loving playing that live right now. There's some songs that haven't come out yet that are on the album that we are going to need to work up and iron out after the album comes out in a few weeks.
What excites you the most about bringing your music to Europe – firstly in Rotterdam and Berlin and then in the UK?
Just playing for new people. I've heard so many great things about music fans in Europe and how much they love the music. Those are my favourite kind of fans! (laughing) I hear they are great listeners. Some artists get nervous when crowds are quiet because they are listening…….. not me! That's my favourite thing ever. I grew up doing songwriter nights where people are intently listening to the lyrics, that's how it's supposed to be, right? I'm so excited. Europe is amazing, I've been before, but this will be my first time playing over there.
Grab tickets to see Ty Myers at the C2C festival in London, Belfast or Glasgow right here.
