Why Sam Hunt ‘Stepped Back’ From the Spotlight
After releasing his massive hit “Body Like A Back Road” in 2017 and the follow-up, “Downtown’s Dead,” in 2018, Sam…
Sam Hunt; Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
After releasing his massive hit “Body Like A Back Road” in 2017 and the follow-up, “Downtown’s Dead,” in 2018, Sam Hunt has remained mostly under the radar, only performing a select number of shows and staying relatively quiet on social media. The superstar has also only done a handful of interviews and has remained tight-lipped about his new music, that is, until now.
In a new interview with ET Canada, the superstar shared extensive details about his decision to step away from the spotlight and opened up about his new music.
Speaking with ET Canada‘s Sangita Patel from his recent concert at the Bud Light House Party in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Hunt held nothing back when asked about his recent hiatus, admitting that the intensity of his sudden superstardom took a bit of a toll on him.
“For a couple years there it was pretty intense and it was a drastic change of pace and a drastic lifestyle shift for me as somebody who had just been, not casually writing songs, I was working hard in Nashville, but I had a routine and I’d kind of settled into Nashville and it was home,” he shared. “And taking off on a bus and doing things like this… the interviews and talking about myself and my music, it was a lot for a couple years.”
Rather than let himself be consumed by his career, Hunt made a conscious decision to “take a step back.”
“I got to a point where I really didn’t feel like I could I was smelling the roses because it was happening so fast,” he explained, adding, “so I stepped back and kind of digested it all and kind of processed everything that had happened.”
It was during this time that Hunt started thinking about new music and figuring out which direction he wanted to take his career. Now, after over a year of writing songs for his next project, Hunt says he’s “excited” to make his long-awaited return.
“We’ve been in the studio this week we recorded four songs I’ve got several more to record and I plan on turning it in the first of the year, but we’ll have a single out before the end of this year,” he revealed.
S0 what can fans expect from the follow-up to 2014’s Montevallo?
“There are some songs like ‘Body Like A Backroad’…that character was sort of in my first record too in songs like ‘House Party,’ he said. “Sometimes I’ll take it way too serious and then I’ll just completely like slingshot to the other side which is like where songs like ‘House Party’ and ‘Body Like A Backroad’ come from, so there are more of that. There is more of that light-hearted sentiment on some songs and then there are some reflective songs that balance those songs out.”
Specific details about Sam Hunt‘s new single and album have yet to be released.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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