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Country music has found itself a new prince charming in the 25-year old Georgia-born singer-songwriter, Vincent Mason.
Mason has quickly made his mark on country in the year since he released his debut album, There I Go. The album launched his career with the singles “Hell Is a Dance Floor” and “Damned If I Do.” Now, he’s entered a new chapter with his latest single, “What You Want.”
Music wasn’t always in the cards for Mason. When the pandemic hit, the singer was studying at Ole Miss and found his way to songwriting. With the support of his parents — and some inspiration from artists like Koe Wetzel, Parker McCollum, Chris Stapleton and Eric Church — he decided to pursue songwriting full-time, transferring to Lipscomb University in Nashville.
“I moved to Nashville because I knew that’s where country music got made. I learned how the town worked, and I loved Nashville artists,” Mason tells The Hollywood Reporter on a recent Zoom. By 2024, he had landed a record deal with Interscope Records. Now, just two years later, he’s opening for Parker McCollum and Morgan Wallen.
“I don’t know if it ever really feels normal,” Mason says. “I remember the first time I opened for Parker McCollum thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is crazy.’ He and John Mayer were the reason I started making songs.”
Mason’s been studying McCollum’s and Wallen’s performances onstage. “They both have this authentic energy that inspires me to find my own,” he says. “It was a special energy to be around.”
As his debut album approaches its one-year anniversary, Mason’s been feeling introspective about his career and the project. “When you first sign a record deal, you spend years working toward an album,” he says. “Once it’s out, you understand what making an album really is, what you liked and what you’d want to do differently on the next one.”
Mason, like many other young artists, is turning to social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to build excitement around the music. It’s been paying off. His single, “Damned If I Do,” is charting on the Billboard Hot 100, currently sitting at No. 83. “Posting online was something I was hesitant to do at first. I moved to Nashville to be a songwriter, not to post videos,” Mason says.
He quickly realized it was a way to connect with fans and see what music would resonate with his audience. “Seeing the numbers go up is cool, but seeing people show up and sing every song back to you is really special,” the singer continues.
Mason continued this trend with his latest single “What You Want,” which was released at the end of June. He’s been teasing the song, which he wrote alongside friend Jack Rauton, to his fans online since May.
“Putting out the album gave me a blank slate again. I wanted to spend more time writing songs by myself or with a small group of writers,” he says. “That’s how ‘What You Want’ happened.”
Adds Mason, “I wasn’t pulling from anything directly in my life. It was really just writing a song with my friend, and there’s something special about writing with just one other person or by yourself.”
The singer is no stranger to collaborations, though. He’s also teamed up with his girlfriend and fellow singer Stella Lefty on their song “Something to Lose,” which has become a viral TikTok hit. “It’s great, it’s really cool to see so many people take the song and posting their own videos to it. That’s how you know you’ve got something,” he says.
“She’s one of the best writers I’ve been around,” he says of Lefty. “She played the song for me, I knew where she was coming from so I said ‘Yes, I’ll get on there.’”
As country music continues to welcome its new wave of artists, Mason’s excited to see his fellow artists grow and find his own lane. He’s quick to use the word “singular” in conversation, and praises Wallen and McCollum for being singular artists. “Everyone knows when someone’s trying to make something like them, and I just want to find that for myself,” he says.
Looking ahead, Mason’s working on trusting his instincts and being confident in the music before he releases it. “I can’t control how a song is received, but I want to know it’s the best thing I’ve put out,” he says. “I want every release to feel like it’s coming straight from me because I really care about it.”
The singer’s always felt that the best songs come when he’s able to get out of his own way. It’s what he’s taking into the next album. Mason adds, “I want to just make sure that I love it.”
English (US) ·