Dustin Lynch Is ‘Seein’ Red’ On the Road and In the Studio in 2017

"I've outdone myself on some of these songs. I'm really, really excited about this new music we've been working on," he said with a smile.

Written by Annie Reuter
Dustin Lynch Is ‘Seein’ Red’ On the Road and In the Studio in 2017
Dustin Lynch, Photo by Ford Fairchild

Dustin Lynch’s 2017 is gearing up to be a busy one. The “Seein’ Red” singer kicked off the year with his first performance since Dec. 10 at Luke Bryan’s third annual Crash My Playa festival on Jan. 21 in Riviera Maya, Mexico. The only artist to perform three consecutive years besides Bryan, throughout the four-day festival it was evident why Lynch keeps getting invited back. Dubbed the Ambassador of Fun by Bryan, Lynch’s energy is contagious and whether he’s playing a poolside performance at two in the afternoon or the main stage at 8 p.m., he gives each gig everything he has.

Lynch is currently on the road with Florida Georgia Line for their 2017 Dig Your Roots Tour. He says it’s a dream tour for him, which is amplified by being on the road with friends.

“There’s just so much electricity from that crowd,” he tells Sounds Like Nashville of FGL’s fan base from his trailer backstage minutes before he takes the picturesque beachfront stage at Crash My Playa 2017. “I love the guys. I’m excited to be out there. [It’s] not good for the livers. If you’re friends on tour you have way more reason to get into trouble. We’re seasoned professionals and responsible so we’ll handle it.”

Once the summer kicks into high gear Lynch will then join Brad Paisley’s tour. While fans are anxious for a headlining tour from Lynch himself, he says it is a possibility in the fall.

“We’re still kicking that around. Once Brad wraps up I would love to go out and do some headlining stuff in the fall. I think that’s our plan right now,” he explains. “Of course that could change. If we get asked to be part of a bigger tour obviously we’ll look at all of our options.”

We also had to ask if Lynch will be showcasing some of his dance moves from his winning performance on Lip Sync Battle on the road this year. After witnessing his energetic set at Crash My Playa, the answer is a resounding yes.

“The moves, probably yes. I’m not sure about the songs, though,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t think so. Not yet. Maybe one day.”

While fans shouldn’t expect covers of Lou Bega’s “Mambo No. 5″ or Ludacris’ “What’s Your Fantasy” in Lynch’s set anytime soon, he did hint at letting them in on his mom’s infamous sausage balls recipe. “We need to put it out online,” he insists. “Maybe with a video.”

In addition to that sausage balls recipe and creating a new set list each night on tour, Lynch is currently working on his third studio album. His follow-up to 2014’s Where It’s At will likely be out later this year with another single before that.

“I’m still working on it. We’ve got the next single recorded already. I don’t even know which one it will be. We narrowed it down to two,” he says. “I’m assuming we’ll put it out after we put the second single out. I’m continuing to record and trying to wrap things up early summer.”

While he wouldn’t reveal too much about the album, he has been playing two new songs during his show. “Small Town Boy,” which he performed twice in Mexico at both the pool party and nightly concert, he says reminds him of his hometown and the way he grew up. The lyrics paint the picture of the song’s character being a mama’s boy who stays within the county lines and a girl who loves him for who he is. Another track, the bluesy “Love Me or Leave Me Alone,” gives a drastically different image. Lynch says it’s his favorite song to perform live.

“This song’s about something I know each and every one of us here have felt — trying to figure out where you are with someone else in a relationship,” he told country fans in Mexico during his performance of “Love Me or Leave Me Alone.”

“I’ve been holding this in from the very first kiss / I’ve been losing my mind tryin’ to keep up like this / But we both know that there comes a time / And I hate to sound harsh or unkind / Love me or leave me alone / Hold me or just let me go / ‘Cause I’ve felt this fight for so long, so baby love me or leave me alone,” he soulfully sings at the song’s start.

An artist who gives all of himself each time he’s on the stage, Lynch’s third album will be no different.

“I’ve outdone myself on some of these songs. I’m really, really excited about this new music we’ve been working on,” he says with a smile. “I’ve been working hard, writing a lot, listening a lot. It’s been a fun process. I’ve had the blessing of having Luke and Little Big Town out on the road all [last] year listening and giving me feedback too so that’s been fun. I’m excited for this new chapter.”

Dustin Lynch’s single “Seein’ Red” is out now.