Tyler Hubbard‘s eponymous debut album as a solo artist is out. The father of three released the 18-track record on Friday, January 27, writing or co-writing all of the songs, alongside writers like Keith Urban, Brad Tursi, Ashley Gorley, Russell Dickerson and more.
“With the album, the track listing, the sequence, I really just wanted the fans to go on a journey from track one to track 18,” Hubbard shares with his record label. “I didn’t want there to be any songs that you wanted to skip over. I wanted each song to bring out a specific emotion, and I wanted it to be a journey. I want it to be fun, first and foremost.”
After years of making music as one-half of Florida Georgia Line, Hubbard knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish as a solo artist, especially with his first project.
“I wanted the fans to get to know me on a personal level and I wanted them to feel something, to feel anything, whether it be make you laugh, making you cry, making you nostalgic or thinking about the past or whatever the case may be,” he explains. “I just want my music to make you feel, and I hope that’s what this album does, and I hope you guys love it from track one to track 18.”
Indeed, Hubbard isn’t afraid to tackle even the hard parts of his own life, including the loss of his father, Roy, who was killed in a helicopter accident in 2007. Hubbard addresses that loss in the song, “Miss My Daddy,” which is the only song Hubbard wrote by himself for the record.
“I get to go in and talk about just the personal side of my life — from my kids and writing songs from that perspective, to losing my dad and the pain and grief and trauma of that and the healing,” Hubbard tells Entertainment Tonight. “And writing a song that was almost therapeutic for me, and a song that I never thought would be on an album or ever be heard.”
With his debut solo album, Hubbard wanted to make great music, and music that he was proud to have his name on, But more importantly, the singer-songwriter wanted to connect with fans — some who have been with him since the early Florida Georgia Line days — in a much deeper, more intimate way.
“I think a few takeaways that I hope the fans get from listening to this album is first and foremost, is I hope fans feel encouraged and inspired,” Hubbard says. “I hope it brings hope and joy, and I really hope the fans feel more connected to me than they did before and feel like they know me on a deeper level. It’s important.”
Hubbard’s debut single from the project, “5 Foot 9,” became a No. 1 hit. He is back at radio with “Dancin’ In the Country,” which features America’s Got Talent star Terry Crews in the video. Find all of Hubbard’s music and tour dates at TylerHubbardOfficial.com.