Country singer Kane Brown on 'Learning' to let it go
Fox411 Country: Country singer Kane Brown discusses his new self-titled album, his challenging childhood and how he found the strength to overcome homelessness, child abuse and racism
When Kane Brown posted a video of himself "I Don't Dance" by Lee Brice on YouTube in 2014 he had no idea that would be the start of his career in country music.
Three years later, the 23-year-old is no longer covering his favorite musicians; he's touring with them and playing his own music.
"It's happening quick. I never thought I'd be where I'm at today," Brown told Fox News. "I'm just lucky I've got a fan base behind me...pushing me getting me where I need to be."
Brown said being pushed into the spotlight, he found it difficult to handle the pressures of fame.
"At first, it was kind of hard, you know, you put your music out there and there's a bunch of people that criticize you," he told us. "But then you realize...there's a bunch of jealous people in the world."
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But now he realizes for "every hater, I've got like a thousand people that love me. And I get to be people's role models that's another thing that gets me through it."
The Georgia native has had some help navigating his newfound fame from some of country music's biggest stars. He recently wrapped up a tour with Florida Georgia Line and is headlining his own tour now. He's also slated to perform at the 35th Anniversary WE FEST and 26th Country Jam.
After performing at several country music festivals last summer, Brown said he is prepared for the wild and sometimes too-rowdy crowds. In 2014, many festival and concert-goers were hospitalized for alcohol-related incidents. A man was found dead after he was believed to have drunkenly fallen into a trash cute at Progressive Field at a Jason Aldean concert.
"I feel like there's a responsibility [for performers to keep things under control], but you can't really do anything about it," Brown said of out-of-hand shows. "It's the fans' jobs to be responsible. I know we're supposed to be out there having fun but I feel like you should know what your limit is on drinking."
Brown's had his fair share of over-the-top fan encounters.
"One girl...she wanted my sweat towel but I didn't use it so she asked me if I could wipe my sweat on my towel so she could have it," he recalled.
In addition to working on new music to follow up his self-titled debut album, the "Thunder in the Rain" singer is busy preparing for the Academy of Country Music Awards where he is nominated for New Male Vocalist of the Year.
"It feels awesome just to be recognized," he said. "Me and my team and my band, we worked so hard over the last year. We did over 200 shows and it feels great to be recognized by the ACMs and hopefully it's just more to come."
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