Hunter Hayes

Albums are chapters. They're part of a story.

In any city or town, you can find a good, rocking Italian place. The most unhealthy thing on the menu? I'll have two of those!

When I was in seventh grade, I asked my parents for a mobile recording system for Christmas, and I got it. I didn't come out of my room for years after that. I'd get invited to the movies and I'd say, 'I'm gonna finish a couple of demos.'

I like driving around town and listening to new records.

I could be myself. I'm very shy and awkward. I think the best thing is to embrace it.

Every demo I do has a mandolin or resonator on it - some element of the bluegrass or classic country world that I grew up listening to and that first drew me in. And then I always try to find somewhere for a bluesy guitar sound, because that's also what I love.

My favorite song depends on the day, what I'm going through, what I'm feeling.

I struggled with feeling confident for a long time, but I think it's important to be strong and not compromise for anyone or a relationship - I'm drawn to that.

There's a lot of people I'd like to write with, like Keith Urban or even as far out as Stevie Wonder.

I don't believe in making a record and rushing it.

Singing live is my favorite. When people sing along to your songs, the circle is complete.

I don't even have a type, I don't think. My type is just whoever can get along with me.

As a new artist - I don't care who you talk to - I think everyone would agree, it's hard to get your expectations right.

I truly believe that when you've found the one you're searching for, you become a better version of yourself. You're better for it.

Anyone who tells you they're not nervous playing on the CMAs stage, I'm afraid they're not telling you the whole story.

My celebrity crush is not gonna find out who my celebrity crush is anytime soon. I'm so nervous! I may keep that to myself because if I do meet her and she already knows about it, that could be awkward.

I write for myself. I don't write because I have a record coming out. I write because I want to. I need to.

When I was 13 or 14, I took seven months off from touring. I did a lot of weekend gigs in Louisiana. We have fairs and festivals every weekend. But I took seven months off. That's when I really started digging deep. I wrote a couple songs that year that I still play every now and then for people.

I'm from Louisiana, and that's where I got my start, in Cajun music. There's a huge music scene down there centered around our culture. Those are people that are not making music for a living. They are making music for the fun of it. And I think that's the best way I could have been introduced to music.

Growing up in Louisiana, my grandmother gave me an accordion because of our Cajun heritage. What ended up happening was I started learning about more instruments, so I just kind of went that route. Music's really all I've ever done.

I'm not a photographer, so I need all the help I can get when it comes to make a picture look cool.

I love the practicality of a good car. You know what I mean? And when I say 'practicality,' I mean the complete practicality of a Ferrari 458, a wonderfully fantastic every day car.

I love driving. I've been obsessed with driving something since I was a kid.

I am a huge, huge Ronnie Milsap fan. I have been for a long time.

Unfortunately, I'm more experienced than I care to admit on long-distance relationships. Just because that is my life. I travel because I love to. As a result, I have to sort of make it work when a relationship kind of comes into view.

I am grateful I got the chance to meet Stevie Wonder! He's like royalty to me and is one of my biggest inspirations.

My first instrument was an accordion. Growing up in Louisiana, my grandmother gave me an accordion because of our Cajun heritage.

Anytime I can go fly for a few hours, I go. It's stressful and stress-relieving at the same time.

My dad said 'When you love what you do, you never work a day in your life,' and I agree with that.

I've got a lot of dreams I want to achieve, and I hope someone can cheer me on as I'll cheer them on in their dreams.

I started writing when I was around 6. I say 'writing,' but it was really just making up stuff! I started writing and doing my own thing. I didn't really know what a demo was or anything like that, so I started getting interested in studio gear and started learning about one instrument at a time. My first instrument was an accordion.

The rule of songwriting: say what you want to say, say it again, say it a different way, then say it again.

Writing by myself, I spread that out more. I'll spend more time on a song then. I'm more critical about it, because there's no one else in the room to tell me, 'That's really not translating. I'm not getting what you're saying.' So, I'm constantly rewriting it, thinking, 'No, that's fine,' and going back.

I've got some crazy, stupid big goals. I really wanna headline arenas. I wanna have such a big crew that we've got to have 20 or 30 buses on the road because that's how big the show we're putting on is.

I have a string of competitiveness in me. It's really strange 'cause it's not something that I would even expect myself to have, but every now and then it kinda sneaks out, you know.

To be the name on somebody's shirt that they've made themselves in preparation for one of your shows - it doesn't get much cooler than that.

I used to think there was a scientific way to do things. Like a proper way to answer a question or that kind of stuff. It's like, there's not! There's not a method, there's not a science to it.

I'm a nerd. Total geek. I never went to homecoming or prom or anything.

I am, by nature, a guitar player... I learned all of these other instruments around that, and around the theory that I built learning the guitar.

I love flying planes.

There is a bit of a movement as far as younger people in country music. That is cool because people are saying things like, 'I didn't listen to country music until so-and-so came along.' And I'm like, 'Yeah! Now you know why I love it.'

I'm in my dream world.

When I was in high school, I had binders with pictures of tour buses.

Thank you to country radio for believing in me.

All my band members were old enough to be my dad. It was like this family vibe.

If I could make noise with anything, I was going to.

I grew up in a fun-loving environment - you work hard and play hard.

I want to find someone who's really into something like I'm really into something, so that I can support them and we can both cheer each other on. I've got a lot of dreams I want to achieve, and I hope someone can cheer me on as I'll cheer them on in their dreams.

I just love music gear, I'm a total geek all around.

Yes, I did lock myself in my room for about two years and write some songs and things like that. But I don't feel like I missed out on a whole lot.