Before Vincent Mason ever stepped on stage, he was a 19-year-old college student quietly writing songs in his bedroom to pass the time during the pandemic, unsure if anyone would ever hear them.

“My dad’s a straight shooter. He told me, ‘If you’re bad, I’m gonna tell you.’ So, I finally played him a few,” Mason recalls. “And he said, ‘There’s actually something there. You should keep going.’”

That simple nod of approval changed everything and led him to his debut album There I Go (out November 7). It’s another major milestone for the rising country artist whose career already includes an appearance at Stagecoach, opening for Gavin DeGraw, and a recent performance of “Hell Is a Dance Floor” on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

There I Go - Vincent Mason — There I Go – Vincent Mason

Across 14 tracks, Mason showcases his ability as a natural storyteller, with a voice that’s warm and worn in like a favorite pair of jeans. He co-produced the album with Jake Gear (who’s worked with some of the most successful country songwriters) and co-wrote all but one song, collaborating with ACM Songwriter of the Year Jessie Jo Dillon, Grammy-nominated Geoff Warburton, and country-rocker Chase McDaniel.

A self-described perfectionist, the 24-year-old singer/songwriter took his time creating an indelible first impression, with subtle nods to the artists he grew up on, like Maroon 5, Jack Johnson and John Mayer.

Reminiscent of early Kacey Musgraves and Parker McCollum, There I Go weaves its way through the standard tales of youthful ambition, self-discovery and a healthy mix of “leaving” and “being-left” songs – albeit from a surprisingly mature perspective. A good example is “Sit With It,” a reflective ballad that forces you to fully feel the heartbreak instead of numbing it or rushing past it.

“I’ve written a lot of heartbreak songs, but this one felt different,” Mason says. “Instead of going out and drinking about it, I just thought, I’m gonna sit with it this time. And that became the song.”

Many of his songs start with small, everyday moments. “Good Run,” for example, was inspired by a phrase his crew says at the end of every tour.

“Everyone’s like, ‘Alright, good run, see y’all soon,’” he says. “I was doing laundry, getting ready to head back out, and the words just came out. My producer told me not to finish it. He said, ‘It says so much with so little.’”

Other tracks touch on his personal journey. “Days Are Numbered” includes the line, “a thousand tickets better turn it up to ten,” referring to his dream of selling out shows.

“When I was 19, a thousand tickets was my dream,” he says. “That’s what Parker McCollum and Riley Green were doing then. I thought it was the coolest thing ever.”

The autobiographical title track, “There I Go,” reflects the “quiet and kind of shy” kid who was raised in Roswell, Georgia. Growing up in the southern state – home to country heavy hitters like Alan Jackson, Thomas Rhett and Luke Bryan – shaped his sound and his approach to music.

After realizing college life at Ole Miss wasn’t for him, Mason got a not-so-gentle nudge from his mom to chase his dream and move to Music City.

“I told my parents I didn’t feel excited about going back,” he says. “I thought I wanted to move to Nashville and write songs. I kind of backtracked and said maybe after another year. But my mom said, ‘No, you said it, so you’ve got to do it right now.’”

Within days, he transferred to Lipscomb University in Nashville, joining its brand-new music program just six days before the semester started.

“It felt like a God thing,” he says. “I couldn’t ignore it anymore.”

Now, Mason’s ready to prove that taking a chance was worth it for the shy teenager who went from writing songs in his bedroom to hitting national stages and aspiring to go from “a thousand to ten.”

“We’re gonna put this album out, and then we’re headlining again from January through May,” he says. “Opening on big tours is awesome, but there’s nothing like when people are singing every song.”

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