Country music has always sort of been country music.

I definitely still have ... angst but I also wrote some songs that say it's okay to love, now. I'm happy in my life, and it's a bit easier to write happy songs when you are actually happy.

I won’t give up what I enjoy to look perfect. I want to find a happy medium between feeling good about my body and still having a beer and some barbecue.

The road is hard, and you have to get accustomed to it.

I literally wouldn't have dreamed of it in a million years that I'm going to be standing there with George (Strait) and Garth and Kenny (Chesney) and Reba (McEntire) and Brooks & Dunn. I don't really have any clue what I'm actually doing with those people because I feel like I'm still just getting started and I've seen them all in concert and they're all my heroes.

I don't know where "bro country" came from or what it really means, but a lot of those guys are my buddies and I ­support their music. Within ­country there are lots of styles: stone-cold country, like Brandy Clark, and there's Florida Georgia Line with what they do, which is completely different and bringing a whole new audience. There's room for everyone.

A lot of people tell me, once they get to know me, that they're surprised that I'm nothing like they think I'll be.