RJ here, hanging out at the Young Hollywood lounge with the one and only Zay Wilson. What's up?

What's going on?

How you doing?

I'm doing good, man.

So, I like the boots by the way. Let me see those boots.

Thank you. Ostrich.

Ostrich. All right. So, so explain this. Like you don't look like a typical country star. What made you get into country music over any other genre?

Honestly, growing up I think I grew up in like the rap culture, you know. Uh I grew up in St. Louis and I moved to Austin, Texas and then I spent most of my life in Texas. But, so I'm the baby of seven and like four of my siblings got tooken away by the system before I was born. Long story short, I've never met my oldest sister. My family was just going through things. Both of my parents was like, you know, on drugs and stuff like that, real bad. So it was just me and my two sisters. Like it was to a point where I'm like, man, I'm just out here, young and just doing everything by myself. So basically, my sister took me in. She was like 33 at the time and I had got in trouble and she was like, "Stay in your room. You can't leave your room. You can't you can't drink juice, have snacks, no TV, anything." And the only thing I had in my room was like a little alarm clock radio and stuff. And I would just listen to music every time a commercial come on, I would just change it. And then I just fell in love with every genre. I just started to listen to all types of stuff. And it introduced me to country music and the storytelling of country music and the way it describes stuff and like the art of it. Like I just loved it.

And you had an unusual path because you started on reality shows which isn't your typical way to become a country star. Right. Like how did you make that transition?

So I went in to do some commercial work and I was doing some auditions and everywhere I go, I sing. Never knew I could sing at all. But I I would sing. She was just like, "Wow, you have a really good voice. Like how long have you been singing?" I'm like, "Oh, I can't sing. I'm just messing around, you know?" She was like, "No, you should actually do it." So I actually get in the studio after that with her son, who was like 16 at the time. And he's just super advanced. He did like the whole K-Ci & JoJo thing when he was a child. So recorded my first song and I brung it back to my manager, Nikki. Cuz I told him before, after the first day, I was talking to her. I was like, "Yeah, she said I should really do music." He was like, "Uh, oh, okay. Like, yeah, we can work on it." And then I came back like the next day with the song that I made. He was like, "Oh, you can sing." Like, let's do this. So ever since then, we've been full throttle on country music.

Now you mentioned Nikki. I mean, it's kind of a big deal that Nikki Gathright got behind you cuz there's all kinds of people I'm sure hitting him up to do stuff.

Yeah.

So how did it feel when he's like, "All right, I'm going to spend the next couple years building you up and building out your career?"

It felt good. Not too many people in my life that just came in and believed in me and put the time and effort to do that. Especially someone like him, self-made millionaire. It felt good and I felt like, okay, this is what I'm doing and I'm going to put everything into this.

And what was it that got his attention, you think? Why did he be like, all right, Zay's the guy I'm going to put, you know, get behind him.

I don't know. It's probably just because just raw potential. Last year it was just like, never performed ever. He just threw me on the stage. Okay, you're going to go open up for Dasha. I'm like, "Huh?" Okay, you're going to open up for Shaboozey. I'm like, "All right." Whatever. Thank goodness, it's just natural for me every time I go on the stage.

I remember when he sent me over slow game. Like I had that thing on repeat. I told him, I hit him up. I'm like, "Damn, I got this on repeat like 20 times."

I appreciate that.

Like why is that so catchy? I mean, something about that hook when you first hear it, you're like, "Well, I got to hear it again and then again and then again."

Yeah. I don't know. I think just the song in general is like you telling the girl like, "I don't want to." Instead of playing games and, you know, leading her on, you telling her, "Hey, I don't want to rush this." You know, I want to take it slow. For me personally, that song comes from trauma as well.

I want to hear the story. Who who's the lady behind that song? What happened? We're not being married, but but something's behind that song.

Yeah. My ex from from the show. So it was just like, uh, been through heartbreak and been through all this stuff. Like my next situation, my next thing, I don't want to rush. I don't want to feel feel like I'm pressured into doing something because the show I was on was about marriage. I was supposed to be married right now. I went on this on this show a few years ago. And, you know, I wasn't ready but at the same time, I think that when you love someone and they give you an ultimatum, you're like, "Well, it's either you marry me or I'm done." If you love really love the person, you're like, "Well, why not?" Well, she ended up breaking up with me on the show and uh that was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. But me going into another relationship, I'm like, okay, I can't rush this. I have to literally play the slow game, you know?

Yeah. If y'all haven't heard this song, I'm telling you, you will have it on repeat. Slow game, you have got to listen to it. And then you got a couple other ones. Your summer song and then what are some of the other ones that are in the pipeline, the new stuff?

Uh, so I did this song with Tally Yaweh. He has songs with Post Malone, DaBaby, all types of people and I I met him through my cousin and he heard my music and was like, "You're really good. You just started this. You're second year doing music." I was like, "Yeah." He came to the studio and hopped on the song. We put that out in November. It's called New Boots.

And what was the whole Stagecoach experience like? Cuz I remember last year you were everywhere. I mean, this party. Oh, there you are. This party like day and night. I don't even know when you slept. You were literally like 20 places, I feel like, that weekend.

Yeah. But take us through that whole experience. It was crazy but if I had doubts before then, I had no doubts after. I was afraid to hit the stage at first. I'm like, man, it's my first time. It's so many people. I'm just performing and singing in front of people is very a vulnerable thing. And I never been afraid to be vulnerable but that's a different type of vulnerable. You know, that changed my whole mindset and what it takes to go and do a show and you're drinking and doing all this stuff and like you got to wake up and do it again the next day. It definitely just gave me the feel and gave me some some experience.

And I was talking about this year. So Elevate Agency has taken over. Yeah. There's like daytime, nighttime. They have like all kinds of activations. Give us a little sneak peek. You know what you're going to be doing this year at Stagecoach.

Like last year, did the whole big Elevate party at Coachella. This year, we're doing some some similar things, working with brands and stuff like that.

Nice. And then I saw you last week at the Netflix viewing party. You were on stage, did a little impromptu performance. Yeah. What was that like being with with some of the other were any of them on your show? Any of the other co-stars, anyone you worked with?

No, I don't think so. Oh, yeah. Chloe B. was there. She was on um I actually did two shows with her. Celebrity Ex on the Beach. That was a UK show and then I did Perfect Match where

You're just popping up everywhere.

Yeah, I know, right? Like I saw you in Hollywood. Like everywhere I go, it's like, there's Zay. He's here. That was good. Even though I'm at the beginning but it it shows those people that this is a stepping stone to whatever you want to do in life and you can literally do that if you put your mind to it.

Yeah. So give us like the future of Zay Wilson. Five years from now, where where do you see yourself? Where do you want to be?

I see a couple Grammys.

Nice.

I see a lot of number ones. I see some cool collaborations.

Who do you want to collaborate with?

I mean, the first person I would probably say is like Morgan Wallen, of course. Uh Luke Combs. My why is just to show people that grew up like I did that you can do literally anything if you put your mind to it. Like I played college basketball and then I went on the

How tall are you by the way?

It's like 6'6".

Damn. You're the tallest country singer ever.

No, I'm not. Shaboozey's up there. Shaboozey's up there. He's around my height. I didn't I didn't know that either until I met him in person. But yeah, he's pretty tall guy.

When you walk in a room though, you'll know you'll know Zay's there. You're not you're not hard to spot. Yeah. So what else? Like 10 years, your legacy, 20 years. What do you want to say? I mean, you're going to do a lot in five years, it sounds like.

I would like to start my own label. That would be cool just to bring up up and coming talent. Just to help them get to the next point, wherever they go. You know?

And do you think you'll get into other genres or you just want to stick in your lane of country or do you want to mix it up a bit?

Yeah, I mean country pop, like a country R&B. That would be cool. But I think just right right there is my my lane.

All right. And then we got to talk style a little bit. I mean, this is a little unique what you got going on here.

Yeah, I know, right?

I can't feel it. What is it? It's not even a normal nose ring.

Yeah, I got two nose rings, some a few rings on, chain, ostrich belt, ostrich boots, you know, my own style and yeah.

All right, that's the way it's done. So, a couple last things before we get you out of here. If you had to describe Zay Wilson in just one word, what sums you up, you think?

Unicorn. I think, yeah. It is a lot of layers uh under me and I feel like I can just do so many things.

What have you not done that you want to do? Besides winning a Grammy, uh probably a movie.

I would love to to do a movie. That would be I think that would be dope. I would definitely like to have a like a documentary that's on my life and write a book as well.

Cool. And the last thing is you're starting to build up a whole fan base. Like what do you want to just say to to everybody out there? Early on cuz we we've got a lot of people here early on. Yeah. Billie Eilish before she hit it. Bieber. Uh we've had a ton of people and then five years later, they end up sort of taking it to that next level. And you know, it's once in a while where like you got to have this guy on your radar, this girl on your radar and you're somebody we definitely have on our radar. So it's like right now, what's your message? And five years from now, people look back at the early video. Saw it here first.

I would say uh listen to my music, follow me, enjoy the journey because uh this beginning stage and and where I'm at is the most important part. And let them watch your life. Let them see your day-to-day. And in years, they'll see like, "Wow, I've been here this whole time and watched Zay from him going on TV to him on Young Hollywood. We've watched this all this time and now I'm going to this show in this stadium that he just sold out."

So there it is, Zay Wilson. You all got another name, you all got another face. Amazing. And five years from now, when you go back and watch this video. Saw it here first.