Dylan Scott Reflects on a Year of Many Firsts
Scott recently spoke with Sounds Like Nashville about the triumph of "My Girl," his new deluxe album and an upcoming Christmas EP.
Dylan Scott had a long journey to No. 1. The Louisiana native released four singles before he saw his first significant chart success with “My Girl,” a heartfelt ballad he co-wrote with Josh Kerr about his wife Blair. A song that listeners gravitated towards, it took a year for “My Girl” to top the charts. A major milestone for the singer, Scott recently spoke with Sounds Like Nashville about the triumph of “My Girl,” his new deluxe album and an upcoming Christmas EP.
“My Girl” was released to radio in July of 2016 and ascended to the top position of both the Billboard and Mediabase Country Airplay charts a year later. While Scott calls the song’s success rewarding, he also says it was a relief to finally hit No. 1.
“[It took] 50-something weeks to go No. 1. It was like, ‘All right, I can breathe and I can enjoy this now,'” he tells Sounds Like Nashville over the phone of the song’s long journey to the top of the charts.
Rising to No. 1 marks the first of many changes for Scott and his band, who are now enjoying bigger shows and longer tours. As a result, this fall Scott will join Justin Moore on the road for the Hell On A Highway Tour and he’ll ditch the cramped van he’s been traveling in for the past five years for a tour bus. He admits that this new mode of transportation will “change our whole lives.”
Fans of the singer can expect several new songs in his set, like new single “Hooked,” which is featured on the expanded version of his 2016 self-titled album. Dylan Scott Deluxe Edition contains three new songs that didn’t make the cut on his previous album, but remain favorites of Scott’s including the sentimental “Sleeping Beauty,” penned by Scott, Lee Brice and Matt Alderman and the upbeat “Can’t Take Her Anywhere.”
“Hooked” was written by Seth Ennis, Morgan Evans and Lindsay Rimes, and from the moment Scott heard the infectious track he could envision singing it himself. The song was also approved by Scott’s wife, who he runs many of his song choices by.
“I turn it on and I don’t say anything and instantly she’s jamming to it,” he recalls. “She’s real quick to tell me, ‘This is not good,’ or, if I like something and bring it home and I’m excited about it she’s like, ‘Yeah, I don’t really get this.’ Usually she’s right, too. I have to listen to her a little bit.”
Scott’s wife is pregnant with their first child and he says she’s doing well with no morning sickness. The first-time parents are excited for their bundle of joy to get here but they still haven’t decided on a name, partially because Blair isn’t a fan of the suggestions Scott offers up.
“She’s not going for my names,” he says with a hearty laugh. “It’s a boy so I’m trying to name him Bo but she don’t like the name Bo. We’re gonna get it. We’ve got plenty of time.”
Their son is due in December, so Scott has already planned some time off the road for their baby’s arrival. He’s also been busy working on a Christmas EP just in time for the holidays. The project was mastered in August after recording the festive tunes throughout the summer.
“We had Christmas lights thrown around in the studio and a Christmas tree to get us into the Christmas spirit,” Scott explains. “I thought it would be weird, but it was really fun. It’ll be five Christmas songs.”
Scott says the music will include traditional songs he grew up listening to as a kid in Louisiana, and no originals. While he has little time off these days, he admits that the buzz of a No. 1 song has him gearing up to get back into the writing room. He’s sure he’ll be writing “some Daddy songs” soon, but for the most part he says he’ll be writing in the same style he has been over the past two years.
“I base a lot of what I do on my live show. Everywhere you go it’s different. Some crowds are way more energetic than other crowds, but you usually get a good feel for it,” he admits. “I’ll play a song and you can tell real quick whether or not people like it. If they don’t like it, we don’t play it again. As I’m writing a song, I’m sitting down with my guys and if we’re getting off on a different kind of path I say, ‘I can’t see myself on stage singing this song. I don’t think people going to my show are going to like this.’ I base a lot of what I do off of the fans and what they like.”
If you’re headed to see Dylan Scott live this fall be sure to let him know your favorite new song as it just might make his next album.
