Brett Young Gives Update on ‘Happier’ Sophomore Album

Brett Young is giving his fans an update on his upcoming sophomore studio album. The California native says his next set of tunes will be a little less dramatic than his eponymous freshman debut, but promises there will be a little something for everyone.

“It is definitely a happier feeling album,” reveals Young. “I did though, want to make sure that we didn’t just put out 12 love songs. You alienate kind of half your audience at that point. I’m saying half being generous. Everybody has way more broken heart stories than happily ever after. So there’s more uptempo songs and just the overall feel is happier. But I still put a good amount of break-up songs in there for the people that are connecting to those right now.”

The reigning ACM New Male Vocalist of the Year says it’s his fans who helped him narrow down which songs to include on his next record.

“I think fan interaction is really important, from how you put together your set list for your show to how you decide what songs you’re gonna put on your record,”Young explains. “I think that is one of the biggest advantages you have is, if you’re on the road a lot, you do have the opportunity to try out new music before you go into the studio and make your record.

“But also with the old music, you kind of get a feel for which of your songs are working and connecting and you start to get a feel for why,” he adds. “And so I think paying attention to your fans and what it is that they’re gravitating towards is really important and it’s definitely affected the song selection in the making of the second record.”

Young’s current single, “Mercy,” which will be his last from his current album, was written by Young and Sean McConnell, and is about someone experiencing a break-up, with neither party completely willing to walk away.

“The reason I like ‘Mercy’ so much is I didn’t live that exactly, but I’ve lived multiple versions of that,” he admits. “I think that’s why people are going to be able to relate to the song so well. There are so many different variations and versions of that kind of heartbreak that I think people have experienced. If you do a good enough job of telling us that we’re keeping it vague enough, it can be anybody’s story.”

Young is playing plenty of fairs and festivals over the summer, and will then serve as the opening act on Thomas Rhett‘s Life Changes Tour. Find dates at BrettYoungMusic.com.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Jason Kempin