RaeLynn Reveals Why She Is Grateful to Join Florida Georgia Line’s Round Here Records

By the time RaeLynn joined Florida Georgia Line‘s Round Here Records, she had already released one EP, Me, on Big Machine Records, and a full-length album, WildHorse, on Warner Music Nashville. The 25-year-old wasn’t sure she wanted to partner with another record label, until Florida Georgia Line invited RaeLynn to be a part of their own Round Here Records.

“There’s something to partnering with a label run by artists because they know what it’s like to be unique and to tell your story in a unique way and having to fight for that,” RaeLynn told PEOPLE. “You shouldn’t have to fight for it — you should just be able to put that music out. It’s important to me to write what makes me happy, because I know it’s going to make my fans happy. My fans are all kinds of kinds; they’re not just your average country music fan.

“They’re just like me, and I’m not just a country music listener — I listen to everything,” she continued. “We’re all a melting pot, and I’ve realized on the road that’s what my fan base is. Anytime you do something a little different, I think that’s when the best songs come. It’s when you follow your heart.”

RaeLynn’s music has evolved since competing on Season 2 of The Voice in 2012, but one thing that has remained consistent is that she wants her fans to expect the unexpected.

“It’s so funny, because if somebody said, ‘What does your music sound like?’ I would say it’s like Dolly Parton with some 808 beats,” RaeLynn said. “If Dolly was a new artist now, growing up the way I grew up, I honestly think she would kind of be doing this. She’s edgy, as well.”

RaeLynn joined Maren Morris for some of the dates on Morris’ Girl: The World Tour, where she found a kinship among Morris’ fans.

“Oh my God, that was so much fun,” RaeLynn gushed. “My music’s a little more redneck-y country than hers. But there’s one thing I love about her fan base: Everybody that comes to see her show knows that she’s different. She’s breaking the mold. So it ended up being such a great fit. That tour was one of the most incredible tours for me, just to have that female energy on the road, but to also meet all those different fans in all those different cities. We did three weeks in Europe, and we did 12 shows in 14 days. Maren’s such a blast.”

Photo Credit: Getty / Suzi Pratt