Hunter Hayes’ ‘Storyline’

At 22 years old, Hunter Hayes has accomplished more in his career than many double or triple his age. His self-titled debut sold more than a million copies thanks to hit songs “Storm Warning” and “I Want Crazy.” He received four Grammy nominations, three in 2012 and one in 2014, and won the Country Music Association Awards’ 2012 New Artist of the Year. He’s played arenas and festivals across the globe, and teamed up with Taylor Swift on the final night of her most recent tour. To top it off, he embarked on an arena tour of his own this year.

“It’s been my dream to headline a tour,” he says. “It’s something I’ve been wanting to do my entire life.”

On May 6, he’ll release his sophomore album, Storyline, right before visiting Baton Rouge Sunday, May 25, for Bayou Country Superfest. A humble and shy guy, Hayes says he’s getting more personal with his new material.

“I’ve found myself very vulnerable on this record,” he says. “I want that transparency, though. I want everyone who is listening to know me and my whole life. I’ve found myself just going deeper into the conversations I’ve had before and going further into the topics.”

The album’s current single, “Invisible,” is a song about bullying that Hayes wrote with Bonnie Baker and Katrina Elam from his own personal experience with the subject.

Growing up in Louisiana, Hayes found solace in the sounds he was creating on his guitar, as well as the lyrics and melodies of his songs. He says he felt like he didn’t fit in because he was “a total music nerd.”

“I was always comfortable going home and making a demo, zoning out,” he says. “I felt like that was my place. I was led to that because that’s where my heart was—that was my way to communicate. It helped me identify myself, and it still does. I wanted to share my experience with anyone who might be going through something similar. I wanted to tell them that, ‘Whatever you’re going through, it’s going to get so much better.'”

Nowadays, Hayes doesn’t have to worry so much about bullying or escaping to a place where he can let it all out. He’s expressing himself on a nightly basis, performing in front of thousands of fans. It’s something he’s still not used to.

“You don’t get used to it,” he says. “The nerves tell me how much it means to me. It’s still a thrill, even better than everything I thought it would be.”

When he lands in Baton Rouge, you can expect something special, too. He’s been waiting years to perform in Tiger Stadium and always loves a chance to come back home.

“It’s absolutely a different feeling when I’m performing in Louisiana,” he says. “There’s always something special going on.”