Country Singer Walker Hayes Talks Songwriting & Going Viral on TikTok - Listen Here!

Walker Hayes is getting candid about his career.

On the latest episode of the Spout podcast, the performer discussed his songwriting process as well as his hit song “Fancy Like,” which shot to the top of the country music charts after going viral on TikTok.

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Walker credited the success of his songs “Fancy Like” and “Briefcase” to relatable songwriting.

“Sometimes it is tempting in a writer’s room to go, what do most people like?” he explained. “Because you’re like, if I throw a dart and I hit that bullseye, then we grab this many people.”

He continued, “When we were writing ‘Fancy Like,’ I was not sitting around going, how many people actually like fries in a frosty? One of my kids doesn’t like it, but some of them do… That song, it does have an unforced relatability [whereas] you could hear country stuff and go, ‘Ah, he’s just filling in the blanks.’”

Walker went on to say that his song “Briefcase,” which he wrote after his father passed away earlier this year, was not supposed to be an “unrealistic ode to a perfect father.”

“It was [supposed] to be honest, because in my opinion an honest relationship is the most loving. When you can say, ‘Hey you’re not perfect, I’m not perfect, but we’re going to be imperfect together forever.’ That’s why my father and I were able to come to over to an understanding over time,” he said, adding that he received the final mix of the EP at his father’s funeral.

During the interview, Walker also said that he appreciates the way TikTok has allowed him to connect with his audience directly.

“I personally thrive under just being really comfortable and I’m most comfortable when it’s not calculated, when it’s not curated, when it’s not pristine,” he said. “[TikTok's] like, not many takes, not a lot of likes and stuff. I’m just in my house and I’m like ‘Yo, let’s do this, there it is.’”

“And I think people respond [because] it’s just artist to the people. That’s it. There is no middleman. There’s not an advertisement,” he continued.

Check out the full episode down below!

Country music superstar Mickey Guyton stopped by the podcast for an interview earlier this year. Listen here…