Country Next: Clayton Mullen

Meet Clayton Mullen, a rising country artist whose journey has taken him from the West Coast to the East, through Texas honky-tonks and finally to Nashville. With a sound rooted in storytelling and years of steady growth, he’s quickly becoming one to watch.

His love for music formed during his upbringing, when a variety of music was played around the house, but he didn’t realize his own talent in singing and songwriting until moving to the Lone Star State. While attending Texas Christian University (TCU), Mullen got his feet wet with songwriting and settled into a sound he describes as being somewhere between “the radio and the back porch.”

The budding act eventually found a good balance between music and school as he spent his weekends on the road and returned just in time for his classes during the week. Since graduating college and making the move to Nashville, Mullen has fully leaned into his passion and it’s safe to say he’s not looking back.

Last year, fans got a powerful introduction to Clayton Mullen when he independently released his 13-track sophomore effort START AT THE END. This project was followed by his latest EP and its deluxe version, Varsity Blues: OT. The expanded edition includes two new songs, “Pocket Aces” and “Hearts and Records,” making for a complete seven-song set full of youthful nostalgia, the emotions of young love, growing pains and the excitement of finding yourself along the way.

He also recently dropped a standalone new single, “A Beer I Wish I Could Drink Again,” inspired by the last night of college and realizing one chapter was closing while another was about to begin.

With more music and live shows on the way, Clayton Mullen sat down for this installment of our Country Next series to discuss his journey to music, life on the road, and what fuels his passion for singing and songwriting.

Being born on the West coast and raised in the East, what kind of music did you have playing around your household?

We had so many different types of music playing all the time – anything from singer-songwriter to rap and everything in between. A lot of my earliest memories of music are from listening to the radio with my mom. Whether it was Michael Jackson or Carrie Underwood, music was always memorable to me. Growing up, I also remember downloading music to an iPod that usually was a lot of John Mayer, Ed Sheeran and Adele. Country music became my favorite genre in high school and college.

You started writing songs while in college at TCU — what do you remember about those early days of discovering your talent for music?

I had more unfinished songs than ever when I was first starting to write. It was definitely a challenge at first, but the more I did it, the more it started to naturally come to me. I will say, melodies always have come to me easier than lyrics.

What was it like balancing college life with chasing a music dream?

It was amazing. It was the best of both worlds because it gave me an opportunity to chase the dream in a safer and more stable way than if I were to have quit a job to chase the dream. Being able to begin my career while still a college student was the perfect bridge to set me up for success after graduating. I think of it like a test run because it made the commitment less abrupt. I will never forget the days of spending weekends on the road playing honky-tonks around Texas and then getting back to campus on a Sunday night just to finish homework before my 8:00am classes on Monday.

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What did you learn from your first few touring gigs across America?

I learned so much in those first few shows and am still learning new things after every show I play now. A few of the big takeaways early on had to be realizing how big the touring business is and what goes on behind the scenes. There is so much that goes into making a show happen and all the gear you need to perform at the highest level. I think I also learned how exhausting the road can be and to make sure you are keeping up with rest days so you don’t wear yourself out.

Your sound is said to sit somewhere between “the radio and the back porch.” What does that balance mean to you?

I love all kinds of country music – from Texas country, to pop country, to folk country, and every sound in between. I think for me, it just means that with the songs in my catalog you can expect the head banging, windows down anthems just as much as you can the back porch, whiskey sipping, ballads. I have loved building my sound and continuing to bring to life all my musical influences.

Are there any artists you’ve been on the road with that have offered you advice that has stuck with you?

Absolutely! I have learned so much from the guys I have been fortunate enough to tour with. Many of the artists have continued to be mentors to me to this day. A lot of what I have learned is how to define success and how to be yourself. The biggest take aways have just been to just keep your head down and stay between the lines on the road. It’s easy to look at other people and compare successes, but that’s a dead-end road. You can only compare yourself to your past self.

You co-wrote almost every song on your last project, VARSITY BLUES: OT. What was your goal with this collection of songs?

This collection of songs is my attempt to take listeners through a glimpse of how I grew up. Many of these songs are my take on songs that first got me into country music. From the storytelling to the themes, I wanted listeners to be able to insert their own memories and life experiences into my stories. I am really proud of how this project came to life and have been overwhelmed and appreciative of the support from fans.

How does this differ from last year’s START AT THE END album?

While both projects are similar, Varsity Blues took a departure sonically with our production choices. I also grew a lot as a songwriter in between projects and think that it really shows my growth as an artist across this project as a whole.

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Talk about your new song, “A Beer I Wish I Could Drink Again.”  Was there a specific moment or memory that inspired this idea?

The idea for this song came from the last night of college. My friends and I all stayed up the last night and just reminisced on the best four years of our lives. We watched that sun come back up and, in that moment, it hit me that I was starting a new chapter of life. Moments like that are almost impossible to put into words, but it was a moment I knew was universal for so many people. That’s where the idea came from, and then when we wrote it we started plugging away all the other beers we wished we could have back.

You’ve been building steady momentum — touring, new music, growing fan support. What’s next for you as you look ahead to the new year?

There is always new music and new tour dates, but right now I’m getting ready to start writing and recording for a new album in 2026!

Fans can keep up with Clayton Mullen on Instagram.