Drake White Says New Single Focuses on ‘Staying Positive’

Drake White's newest single, "Livin' the Dream," is a timely message not only for those going through a difficult time, but also for the singer himself. While the song's title may make listeners think of fame and fortune, its lyrics -- "Look at us with a picket fence / Don't got a lot of money, but we're making a dent / Old Ford truck with a dog in the back / Now ain't we livin' the dream ..." -- are a bit more humble.

"I think it’s the redemptive process of getting up and staying positive. There’s going to be bad stuff, a few bad bumps in the road, that make the good the good," White tells The Boot. "It does talk about some problems and that people say that we might not make it, but let’s just hold in there, because the longer that you hold in there, the tougher your skin gets, and the tougher your relationships get.

""Livin’ the Dream" is what I think the world needs to hear right now," he continues. "There’s so much negative out there, but at the end of the day, if you keep it straight between your ears and cling to the people you love and be kind to them and live by the Golden Rule, then you’re good."

The Alabama native, who signed with Big Machine Label Group’s Dot Records in 2014, after previously being signed to Universal Music Group, released an EP in 2015 but is still working on his debut full-length album. White says that he hopes to have the project in his fans' hands by the end of the summer.

"... We’ve done five or six tunes that we feel like we have completed. But I really want to make a project. I don’t want to just make an album with a bunch of singles on it; I want to make a piece of art. It takes time to make that art," he notes. "So "Livin’ the Dream" is gonna go up the charts and be a smash for us, and we’ll make a really good album off the back of that success."

Since making the move to Music City, White has become motivated by far more than chart success.

"... I’m about truth, and I’m about playing bad-a-- music. That’s all I want to do: I want to help folks and help people live the music," he shares. "It’s not about records and record sales to me. Obviously I need that to keep doing it, but I want to build tents and houses and do a lot of philanthropic stuff through this. I think that’s why God gave me the ability to do this -- it’s to be able to go out there and make this bigger than myself."

With a bluesy, soulful sound that is all his own, White maintains that he isn't at all worried about if he fits in with what is currently dominating country radio.

"I don’t try to mold my stuff to being current; I do what I want to do. We do what we want to do as a band and hope that it evokes feelings in people," he says. "I feel lucky every morning when I get up, and I feel like the stars are aligning that people are reacting to our music and our type of soul. I think it’s a good thing. It’s a good time to be Drake White."

"Livin' the Dream" is available for download on iTunes.

10 New Country Artists to Watch in 2016