Sam Hunt Reveals He is Pursuing Other Interests That ‘Have Nothing to Do With Music’

Sam Hunt had one of the biggest songs ever on radio, of any genre, with his mega-hit, “Body Like a Back Road,” staying at the top of the charts for a record-breaking 34 weeks in 2017. But, perhaps surprisingly, the singer-songwriter isn’t as interested in music as he once was.

“I’ve grown up a little bit since my first record, and I feel my first record was inspired by an era of my life that really left with something to say and something to sing about,” Hunt tells Yahoo! “I’ve gotten into some other things outside of music that I really enjoy. Just other interests of mine that have nothing to do with music.

“I don’t know where my career will go from here, but my sole focus hasn’t been on making music all the time like it was in my 20s,” he adds. “I’m not writing as many songs. My interests have changed.”

The 33-year-old admits it might be hard for his fans to understand, but he doesn’t want to write or perform anything that isn’t authentic to him.

“It’s hard to explain to folks who aren’t necessarily writing songs or in this business,” explains Hunt. “When I’m singing a song as an artist, there’s only so much that I really want to say or have to say. I haven’t had a whole lot to say in the past year. So I’ve been writing songs that I don’t really feel are representing me, so I haven’t put out a record in the past year.”

Not that Hunt is without ambition. The Georgia native is developing a few musical ideas that, for now, are still a work in progress.

“I haven’t really found the next thing that I really want to turn into a project,” says Hunt. “I just have a lot of songs that are scattered all over the place. It hasn’t come together in a way that would really make a great album.”

Meanwhile, Hunt is delving into another hobby, which he believes will inspire his future musical ambitions.

“I’ve been reading a lot in the past year just trying to educate myself,” Hunt says. “I got married last year, and I’m in my 30s now, and I feel I’m not as educated as I should be. So I’ve been spending a lot of time just reading and informing myself, outside of putting out songs that work on the radio. Just been trying to broaden my horizons.”

“I have a lot of ambitions but I don’t know,” adds Hunt. “I just haven’t really found that inspiration yet. I think it’s just taking the time to find the inspiration while on the road.”

Find a list of all of Hunt’s upcoming shows on his website. He will release a new single, “Downtown’s Dead,” on Wednesday, May 16.

Photo Credit: Instagram/samhuntmusic