Over the past several years, country music has undergone a major change, with artists putting bass drops and synthesizers into their music alongside heartfelt lyrics and acoustic guitars. This shift to a more pop sound is now a massive component of the genre, and rising star Dylan Schneider wants to be at the forefront of that movement.
The up-and-coming artist from Indiana has released three EPs in two years and isn’t planning on slowing down anytime soon, with his latest single, “No Problem,” keeping with the pop-country sound the singer has developed over the years.
Videos by PopCulture.com
“Growing up I was always a kid who listened to the local pop/hip-hop station,” Schneider told PopCulture.com. “The hot hits right now, stuff like that. I didn’t even listen to country until five years ago. As soon as I listened to it, that’s when I started learning the music.”
Schneider added that he feels the boundaries of country music are evolving, and he wants to make music that takes listeners in that new direction.
“The pop side of it is definitely something that I chose,” he said. “It’s just where it’s going. I hear people all the time hate on the new style, new country and I don’t understand why because everything evolves. Music evolves, everything in the world is always changing.”
At 18 years old, Schneider is already confident in his sound, a pop-country blend with a hint of rock that finds him pushing the limits of what many people know the genre to be. Featuring plenty of bass and guitar, Schneider hopes he can create music that all kinds of listeners can enjoy.
“I just feel like it’s a good lane to be in from my musical background and how I grew up,” he explained. “I enjoy it even more because there aren’t as many boundaries and you can go outside the box, which is what I do.”
“I want to be the guy that makes you want to listen to country music,” he added. “I just want to make music for people to like.”
As for artists he’d like to work with, Schneider is aiming to unite genres, naming Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Post Malone and Chad Kroeger of Nickelback as dream collaborators.
“I want people to have open minds and just like music that sounds good,” he explained. “I’m gonna make music that sounds good and I’m going to listen to music that sounds good. That’s what I’m going to try my hardest to do. I just hope I can find the fans that accept what I think is cool and hopefully they like it too.”
Photo Credit: Twitter / @DylanSchneider