I learned a lot about my audience and about myself as a performer, what I like to do live.

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.

Country music fans are extremely passionate and loyal. It seems that country artists have longer-lasting careers because the fans stick with the artists through thick and thin.

I think the unconditional love you get from an animal, especially a dog, is better than anything else.

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.

I used to play for 200 people and now I'm selling out places that hold 16,000 people. It's a big change, and it's so cool to see people out there screaming the words to songs that I wrote. It just really reassures me that what I'm doing is working, and it really boosts my confidence, as far as on stage as a performer and a writer.

I am proud to be a normal size girl and I want to encourage everyone to be confident at any size.