2024 is already shaping up to be a big year for Drake Milligan. The singer-songwriter, who released his freshman Dallas/Fort Worth album in 2022, is returning with Jukebox Songs, a four-song EP that showcases more of Milligan’s talent, and musical influences.

“Jukebox Songs is exactly what it sounds like,” Milligan says. “My goal for this EP was to write and find songs that feel classic and memorable – the kind of tunes would fit right in on some old Rock-Ola in the corner of a smoke-filled bar on the outskirts of nowhere Texas. It’s a continuation of the old-meets-new Country sound I’ve always gone for, and this time with my friend Trent Willmon at the reins as producer, I’m very excited to keep this honky tonk train rollin.’”

Milligan is also returning to America’s Got Talent, after coming in third on the reality TV talent show’s 17th season in 2022. The rising star will compete again, for the show’s inaugural America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League, a spin-off of the original show.

 

Milligan was already a seasoned performer and entertainer when he appeared on AGT, but he admits the show still changed everything for him and his career. Milligan earned praise from all four judges after his performance of his song, “Sounds Like Something I’d Do,” a song he also performed for the finale.

“I feel like I gained a lot of confidence with the last live show, on AGT,” Milligan told Everything Nash. “To be able to sing an original song on live television for millions of people, and to get a great response like that, just fills you with confidence. I feel like hopefully, I’ll walk away with even more of that confidence, since that’s the final round, and be able to take that into my career, and try to go a long ways.”

Dallas/Fort Worth was the first taste of what fans can expect from Milligan, as he plants his feet firmly in country music.

“I’ve been in Nashville about five years, and really this record is kind of a culmination of a ton of songs that I’ve written in those five years,” Milligan said when the record was released. “And we were sitting there in Houston a while back, and we had these 14 tracks cut, and Adrian goes, ‘Man, your music, it’s like Dallas and Fort Worth. It’s just so different. You’ve got this kind of polished side and you’ve got this kind of traditional honky-tonk side.’ And that’s when the light bulb went off, like, ‘Wow, that’s it. That’s what the record should be called.’”

Jukebox Songs will be released on February 16. In addition to appearing on America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League, Milligan will also serve as the opening act for Cody Johnson on select dates this year. Pre-order Jukebox Songs, and find all of Milligan’s music and upcoming shows at DrakeMilligan.com.