One artist at the front and centre of this explosion in popularity is Thomas Rhett, the 29-year-old from Tennesse with more than a billion streams to his name worldwide, and a Grammy nominee to boot. By signing up, you agree to our Let's face it', Adam Lambert: ‘The first time I experienced homophobia was in the theatre world’, Meet Raye, the South London star behind your favourite pop-dance bangers, Matt Berninger ended up in a karaoke bar with the cast of Hamilton. So I think when your family thinks you’re good that means you have to be good, right? The first time you blew your paycheque frivolously... "It was 2012 and I had been touring for about a year at that point and it was the first time I was going to be attending the ACM Awards in Las Vegas. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. I am a huge sneakerhead and I am fascinated by that process and how it came about.". Every time I would go to a birthday party, or any time there was a family gathering at Christmas or Thanksgiving or whatever, everybody would ask me to play the guitar. I am constantly returning things about a week after buying them.". At the time it was very much in style, but looking back on it I am glad I ended up in a different direction. My wife and my management will tell you that I get buyer’s remorse a lot. I realised then that I was able to hold a crowd just by doing a verse-chorus of a song they knew, and it just clicked for me.". A second generation country musician (he's son of Rhett Akins) with a reputation for moving the genre into a more pop-influenced space, Rhett was the most played artist on country radio last year, with four smash-hit albums, plus 12 No1 singles in the US already under his belt. Up this week, is country music super star Thomas Rhett, who talks karaoke, celebrity crushes, meeting his wife and playing on stage with his father, Rhett Akins, on tour as a child. It’s a great song, but I think it also ended up being at number one for like six weeks or something. I guess some of the folks there had seen some of the videos I had posted on YouTube, and so that was the first time I had met anyone who was a fan of my music.". ", "'At what point in time did you realize that you were about to make one of the most iconic sneakers of all time in the Yeezy?' That’s the first song I play whenever I sit down at a piano and also my default whenever we do karaoke. The first time you fell properly in love... "I was in camp, when I was in the sixth grade, and it truly was with my wife who I am married to today. I’m pretty sure I spent that entire weekend with the worst buyer’s remorse and guilt of my life. I was immediately addicted to being on stage and entertaining an audience, and after that I tried to go out on the road with him and get on stage any chance I could. ", "The first record I ever bought with my own money was the very first album that The Darkness released, Permission To Land. My buddy Tyler Barnes asked me to come play for their fraternity and he said, 'We’re not going to pay you, but we’ll give you gas money.' Find exclusive interviews, video clips, photos and more on Entertainment Tonight. From the surprise viral success of Lil Nas X (and the controversy it caused), to cowboys on catwalks via Europe's ever-expanding C2C Festival, the quintessentially American genre of country has never been more globally adored. The first time you played in front of a live audience... "I was around eight-years-old on the road with my dad and I got to get up on stage with him and sing a song of his called 'That Ain’t My Truck'. The first time you made money out of music... "I think I got to go play at a fraternity house at Middle Tennessee State University. Thomas Rhett interview, where the country singer talks making it as a musician, how he met his wife, and playing on stage with his father, Rhett Akins, on tour as a child. In honor of the the release of his latest album, Center Point Road – named after a street in his hometown of Hendersonville – we caught up with Rhett to ask him all about his formative firsts. That and the bowl cut I had in fifth grade; that was a pretty bad one, too. Get the latest news about Thomas Rhett. I remember playing and singing it in front of my friends around a campfire on some random Friday night. Follow GQ on Vero for exclusive music content and commentary, all the latest music lifestyle news and insider access into the GQ world, from behind-the-scenes insight to recommendations from our Editors and high-profile talent. Either way, I guess I built up my confidence in those settings, to where I felt I could do this in front of other people. I am still trying to impress my wife, I guess.". I think it stems from trying to impress my wife Lauren with it, however many years ago. Even though the feeling was not reciprocated in the sixth grade, I already knew I was in love with her. And then I’d call my management and tell them I just added a bunch of work to all our plates. The first thing you would do if you were president... "I would panic and then demand a recount. And I still have a crush on her to this day, but my wife is OK with it because we both love that movie.". Here, he talks making it in music, karaoke, celebrity crushes, performing with his father and stomach-clenching style splurges. The first time you realised you wanted to be a musician... "I was probably 16, I had just started learning guitar and had learned '3AM' by Matchbox Twenty. ", "I don’t know if I ever pinned anybody on my wall, but I have had a crush on Rachel McAdams ever since I saw The Notebook when I was like 14 or 15. ", "The worst haircut I ever had was a mullet when I was about four-years-old. There are some photos out there of it. So that’s definitely one I wish I had written.". So I think they gave me like $45 to come play for like three or four hours.". The first karaoke you always want to sing... "Celine Dion’s 'My Heart Will Go On'. I went to see them tour that album in Nashville and it’s still one of the most fun shows I have ever been to. Oliver Hudson Thought His Life Was 'Ruined' After Getting Botox, LeAnn Rimes Says 'Coyote Ugly' Was the Introduction to Her Sexuality, Gwen Stefani Records New Holiday Song 'Here This Christmas': Listen, Up to 40% Off American Apparel at Amazon's Holiday Dash, Celebs React to the Final Debate Between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, CMT Music Awards 2020: How to Watch, Who’s Performing, Host, Nominees & More. At the time All Saints was my favorite store on the planet, and I remember going in and spending $450 on a maroon leather jacket that I was going to wear to the awards show. The first time you heard a song you wished you'd written... "My dad is in this songwriting group called The Peachpickers and I’ll never forget when they wrote this song for Blake Shelton called 'Honey Bee'. I know that sounds unbelievable, but it’s true.". ® & © 2020 CBS Studios Inc. © 2020 CBS Television Distribution and CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Every week, we ask one band or artist a set of quick-fire questions that all start with ‘the first’, from their first shows and paycheques to the first time they fell in love. Midland interview: 'Cowboys are pretty cool. ", "It was at my very first songwriting round that I played at this famous restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee called Puckett’s. Head to GQ's Vero channel to discover what Thomas Rhett has been watching, listening to and reading, as well as to get the inside track on his favourite holiday spot (as well as what to do there). The first time you realised you were actually any good... "I think I got my first bit of validation from the same place most artists do, and that was from my friends and family.