On the song selection process for his EP, he said, “A lot of these songs date back to two years. It’s all about the live energy. Once we start playing songs live and hearing the reaction is how I like to test songs. Then, having an amazing team of people that have the same ideas and standards for songs. That’s how we pick them.”
Smith listed his official single “Like I Knew You Would” as his personal favorite song on the EP, which will is headed to country radio on March 9. “I love the energy of it, and it’s really cool to hear the crowd get familiar with it even halfway through the second chorus. I love playing that one,” he admitted.
He acknowledged that he always tries to make his music very relatable. “Whether it has happened to me or somebody that I know, that’s how I approach my writing. I try to make it as real as it can possibly be. I am a huge fan of melodies and I love alliteration. The way that words flow is a huge thing for me. Country music is all about storytelling and that’s what I try to do best: try and tell stories through my songs,” he said.
On being an artist in the digital age, he said, “I love it because I can release songs constantly. It is such a cool time, where there are so many ways to approach releasing music. We like putting music out constantly. I will be dropping a lot of different tracks and singles. We live in such a great digital age and it allows us to do that.”
He listed Eric Church and Maren Morris as his dream collaboration choices in country music. “As a songwriter, I’ve always looked up to Eric Church. I love his voice and his sound. You know an Eric Church song exactly when you hear it,” he said. “I also love Maren Morris’ voice. She has the most unique voice and she’s a badass.”
Speaking of Eric Church, he noted that “Give Me Back My Hometown” is one of the greatest lyrics of the decade. “I love that song,” he admitted. “There is so much imagery in that song.”
Smith will be performing at the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on Long Island this summer, where he will be opening for Chris Young on his “Town Ain’t Big Enough World Tour.” “We are really excited about that because we’ve never played in New York before. It’s a bucket list venue for me to play. It’s going to be a good crowd,” he said.
For young and aspiring artists, she encouraged them to write a lot. “Don’t rush the process. Enjoy every moment and live in the moment. It takes a village and an amazing team of people,” he said.
He is thrilled to be signed on Big Machine Records. “I was just stunned,” he admitted. “It’s a great team over there. I love Scott Borchetta’s energy and his team’s passion. It was a really surreal moment to sign with them.”
In his spare time, he enjoys being outdoors, fishing, golfing and hiking.
Smith defined the word success as “being able to do something that you love no matter what and seeing people react to it in a positive way.”
His EP is available on digital service providers by clicking here. “Thank you to the fans for all of their support. I am really looking forward to getting more music out there,” he said, effusively.
To learn more about country artist Payton Smith, check out his official website and his Facebook page.
