Dylan Scott will release his self-titled debut album on Friday (Aug. 12), but Taste of Country has your early listen one day before it drops. The “My Girl” singer also dished to us about his unique brand of country, as well as the stories behind a few of the songs on the record.

The 13-track album is versatile, combining Scott’s love of traditional country with distinct pop and urban influences. A self-professed Keith Whitley fan, Scott admits that he grew up listening to everything from Lil Wayne and R. Kelly to Maroon 5, but he’s always had a soft spot for acts like Whitley.

“Keith Whitley is old school country. Back in the ’80s, that was my Elvis,” Scott shares. “When I moved to Nashville I thought, ‘I’ll move to Nashville and be the next Keith Whitley.’ But as we know, country music is evolving everyday into something else, so I had to find who I was as an artist so I just started writing songs.”

Read More: Hear Dylan Scott’s Self-Title Debut Album Now