When Tyler Hubbard says, “It feels good to be me,” you just know — from the joy in his voice and the width of his grin — that he’s talking about something much deeper than his newly minted No. 1 song or his highly anticipated debut solo album that’s out on Friday.
For more than a decade now, Hubbard has been in the public eye as someone far more plural than singular, as he and partner Brian Kelley rode the wave of Florida Georgia Line, one of the most successful duos in country music history.
But today, Hubbard has a brand-new story to tell, and he’s loving the fact that he maintains sole ownership.
A year ago, Hubbard told PEOPLE exclusively that he and Kelley were “taking a break,” and he says he still holds to that description.
“It’s hard to predict the future,” he says. “I never like to say ‘never,’ so who knows what’ll happen down the road. But I will say I have no plans of looking back, and this isn’t a one-off for me.”
“This” is the self-titled album that’s already produced his first solo chart-topper, “5 Foot 9,” and delivers 17 more radio- and concert-ready tracks. From the boot-scooting boogie of current single “Dancin’ in the Country” to the sorrow-soaked wistfulness of “Miss My Daddy,” Hubbard ably proves he doesn’t need to share a spotlight. And while the album is still flavored with dollops of FGL-style brio, even more, it reveals an older—and wiser—artist who excels at musical storytelling.
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