Brett Young is good at a lot of things, but one thing he says he isn’t good at is acting. For that reason, the California native now proudly calls Nashville home, so he can focus on what he is good at, which is music.

“Most of my buddies, actually, when I was still living in LA, were pursuing acting, not music,” Young shares. “So, I was around quite a bit of that. I never felt good at it. I remember my freshman year in college, I went to Ole Miss, and I took an acting class, just ’cause I thought it was gonna be an easy A or B. And for our final, we had to do a skit with a partner from a movie. I did the ending scene from Rounders, and I played John Malkovich’s character, which I’ve not only taken on having to act when I’m bad at it, but now I’ve taken on a Russian accent as well.”

Unfortunately for Young, that experience was all he needed to realize he would likely never see his name in movie or acting credits. But fortunately for the singer, and his fans, he was able to find his true calling.

“I think that was before my time living in LA,” Young recalls. “I think that was the experience I needed to know I was terrible at acting, and it wasn’t something that I was going to try my hand at living in LA. So, I don’t think that I have that skill. If I did, I would be a much better liar, and you can ask my wife. I don’t even try because I’ll get caught because of a look on my face, apparently.”

Brett Young’s Latest ‘2.0’ Album

In June, Young released his fifth studio album, 2.0. The record includes his current single, “Drink With You.”

“2.0 is a reflection of where I’m at right now as a husband, a dad, and someone who’s still learning and growing,” the father of two says. “These songs get into the highs and lows of love, the weight of heartbreak, and the responsibility and joy that come with family. It’s not just a follow-up to what I’ve done before. It’s a step forward. I hope people hear pieces of their own story in these songs, the way I see mine in them.”

Unlike other records, Young chose to co-write all of the songs on 2.0.

“It’s more about the songwriting again, and I dig this,” Young explains. “I didn’t get my chance at this before. The creative side of me gets excited about this. For people that are going, ‘There’s some songs that sound a little different,’ that’s not me trying to recreate me. That’s me being excited to stretch myself creatively.”

Brett Young’s Sobriety

2.0 is also the first record Young has released since becoming sober. Never an alcoholic, Young chose to cut out drinking as a way to become a better version of himself.

“I just decided that [alcohol] was not serving me at all,” Young tells Muscle & Fitness. “In fact, it’s doing nothing but make life more difficult.”