This isn’t Fancy Hagood’s first rodeo.
Hagood first entered the scene in 2015 with his debut single “Goodbye.” Since then, Hagood has taken the reigns on his career and is putting out the music that feels true to him as an artist.
With his sophomore album American Spirit dropping last week, Hagood joined GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos to talk about the project and much more.
Hagood talks about how excited is he to be putting out a full length album, “There’s a thought that goes into that. There’s a lot of conscious decision making of how to make this album and how to tell the story the way you want to tell it.”
Hagood talks about how he feels like this album is his first where he really felt in control of the project. “I’ve never quite felt like I found my footing with either country music or pop music. I feel like I’ve had a tumultuous journey in the industry. When I think about why I moved to Nashville 16 years ago, it was to be a country artist. It was my dream.”
He explains how when he came out as queer, he felt he no longer had a place in country music, “It was quickly told to me that I couldn’t pursue country music and be the person I was.”
He shares that’s when he “pivoted,” moving to LA to start making pop music. He says that while he’s grateful for the experience, “At the end of the day, I didn’t feel like myself.” He goes on to say, “Nashville’s my home. Country music is my original dream, it’s my passion.”
Hagood wrote and co-wrote the entire album with the help of major names like Caitlyn Smith, Mindy Smith, and even actress and friend Mary Steenburgen.
Earlier this year, Hagood joined forces with fellow gay country artists Orville Peck, TJ Osborne, and Waylon Payne to record a cover of Rhinestone Cowboy for Peck’s album Stampede. “I think it sends a really powerful message,” Hagood says. He talks about how throughout his career he’s been told how “all these other gay people have my seat… They pin us against each other.”
He says it feels “powerful” to have worked with this supergroup, “It’s not a competition, we’re in this together.”
As he heads out on his headlining tour, Hagood shares, “I feel more prepared, more ready, and more myself.”
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Get tickets to Fancy Hagood’s upcoming fall tour and stream American Spirit now!