With his first Number One still simmering at country radio — the grooving, dressed-down top contender for “Song of 2021″ contention, “Fancy Like” — Walker Hayes is striking while the iron is hot. The quirky hit maker has announced he’ll release a full album in January, and has also dropped a brand new single.
Set for January 21, 2022, Hayes’ new LP will be called Country Stuff The Album and follows his six-track 2021 EP, Country Stuff. The full-album package will include 13 songs in all, including his “Fancy Like” hit, plus the previously released “U Gurl,” collaborations with Carly Pearce, Jake Owen, and Lori McKenna and a re-imagined version of “Craig” featuring the Christian rock band, MercyMe. Plus, Country Stuff The Album will also contain Hayes new single, “AA.”
Featuring a similar bump to “Fancy Like” but a big more twang, the track points to the deeper side of Hayes’ songwriting, with the star opening up navigating a complicated life and trying not to drop the ball. Chasing his dreams while juggling fatherhood, marriage and his all-too relatable vices, the hit maker even opens up about a struggle with alcohol — all with his signature hip-hop influenced vocal flow.
“At the end of the day, we are all just doing the best we can,” says Hayes about the track, “and what I really mean to say with this song is just that I’m trying to stay the course. I’ve struggled with alcohol abuse and sometimes I wish I didn’t need AA, but I do. I think a lot of people can relate to that. I’m just trying to be the best dad and husband I can be. It’s not easy all the time, but my wife smiles a lot and my kids are growing up with more than I had, and that’s a really good thing.”
Speaking about the album, which follows 2017’s Boom and will mark his third full-length set overall, Hayes also says its an opportunity he’s been working toward for years. With all eyes on him, the singer-songwriter can finally showcase the entire range of his unique artistry.
“I’ve been waiting so long to put out a project like this,” he says. “It has everything I love from the fun of ‘Fancy Like’ to the more personal lyrics in ‘AA.’ As an artist, it’s such a unique thing to be able to share all the different versions of you in a project, and that’s really what I tried to do here.”
Walker Hayes notched his first Number One at country radio with “Fancy Like” this week, with the track continuing to reign on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for 18 weeks and counting. He’ll appear on CBS Sunday Morning this weekend (November 21), and will also perform on the American Music Awards the same day. His Fancy Like Tour kicks off just after the album drops in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on January 27.
Country Stuff The Album track listing:
1. Drinking Songs
2. AA
3. Life With You
4. U Gurl
5. DeLorean
6. Fancy Like
7. Craig (feat. MercyMe)
8. What You Don’t Wish For
9. Country Stuff (feat. Jake Owen)
10. I Hope You Miss Me
11. Briefcase (feat. Lori McKenna)
12. Cry
13. What If We Did (feat. Carly Pearce)