If you haven\u2019t discovered Atlus yet, now is the time to pay attention. His latest single, \u201cSecondhand Smoke,\u201d delivers raw, no-holds-barred storytelling that demands to be heard, painting a vivid picture of his childhood and the way he watched his mother refuse to let her circumstances define her – instead, she defied them. The driving, addictive track is deeply inspirational, juxtaposing his mother\u2019s hard-earned lessons and advice with his own self-doubts about life.\u000f\u000fBorn Sean Haywood, Atlus is a natural storyteller, drawing deeply from his own life experiences. With four independently released albums already under his belt, he has built a catalogue that speaks for itself. Now, with his self-penned 15-track BBR Music Group\/BMG Nashville debut, Art of Letting Go, Atlus steps into a new chapter – one defined by vulnerability, growth, and fearless honesty.\u000f\u000fNamed after its title track, which confronts the loss of his sister to addiction, Art of Letting Go mines the emotional core of Atlus\u2019 songwriting. Blending country with elements of rock, pop, and hip-hop, the album reflects the full spectrum of his story, balancing hard truths with moments of light, resilience, and release. \u000f\u000fLed by producer Andrew Baylis (Jelly Roll) alongside a group of key collaborators, the project includes Atlus\u2019 debut country radio single \u201cDevil Ain\u2019t Done,\u201d the driving lead track \u201cSpare Key,\u201d alongside the newly released \u201cSecondhand Smoke .\u201d\u000f\u000f\u201c This time, with the album, it\u2019s about moving through moments and experiences that shaped me as a person, as a brother, as a son, and as an artist. Looking at some of the things that brought me to where I am, and both acknowledging them and letting them have their place in the story as we try to add new chapters,\u201d shares Atlus. \u201c My deepest hope is that someone out there hears these songs and connects with the stories and the music and feels like their load is a little lighter because we are sharing the experience\u201d says Atlus.\u000f\u000fAs Billboard noted while naming him February\u2019s Country Rookie of the Month, \u201cFor Atlus, who grew up in Denver in a single-parent home marked by poverty, the album marks not only a career triumph, but also a way of sharing his story of overcoming adversity, and inspiring others to prevail over their own obstacles.\u201d\u000f\u000fBefore signing with BBR Music Group\/BMG Nashville, Atlus built a loyal following through four independent albums and a relentless work ethic that carried him from the underground to major milestones. His rise includes more than one billion on-demand streams, a Platinum release, a Top 5 album on Spotify\u2019s Global Album Chart, and a standout performance alongside Jelly Roll at a packed Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Recently named one of Pandora\u2019s 2026 Artists to Watch in Country, he continues to connect with fans through emotionally direct songwriting and a voice that cuts through.\u000f\u000fThat connection was forged long before the spotlight. Atlus began writing songs while working long hours as a commercial truck driver, crafting lyrics behind the wheel to support his family and fund studio time. That grind laid the foundation for the artist he is today and continues to shape the perspective that runs throughout Art of Letting Go.\u000f\u000fThe project builds on the success of \u201cDevil Ain\u2019t Done,\u201d which was among the most-added songs at country radio on add day, reached the Top 5 in Australia, and continues to climb in the United States. The track pairs a driving sound with lyrics rooted in self-doubt and perseverance, expanding on Atlus\u2019 ability to turn personal struggles into something universally felt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u000fAt its core, Art of Letting Go is about family – long his driving force. Today, Atlus\u2019 success has allowed him to retire his mother, but the journey there was anything but easy. At 33, he once balanced multiple truck-driving jobs alongside UPS shifts and Uber rides, all to chase his dream and afford time in the studio.\u000f\u000fFamily remains a constant thread throughout the album. Atlus\u2019 success has allowed him to retire his mom, but before music took off, he balanced multiple jobs including truck driving, UPS shifts, and rideshare work to make ends meet and invest in his career.\u000f\u000fAtlus continues his 2026 tour with festival appearances and headlining shows before joining Russell Dickerson this spring on the RussellMania Tour.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you haven\u2019t discovered Atlus yet, now is the time to pay attention. His latest single, \u201cSecondhand Smoke,\u201d delivers raw, no-holds-barred storytelling that demands to be heard, painting a vivid picture of his childhood and the way he watched his mother refuse to let her circumstances define her – instead, she defied them. The driving, … Continue reading “Atlus – Secondhand Smoke”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/zfmcountry.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/zfmcountry.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/zfmcountry.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zfmcountry.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zfmcountry.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2815"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/zfmcountry.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2815\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2816,"href":"http:\/\/zfmcountry.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2815\/revisions\/2816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/zfmcountry.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zfmcountry.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zfmcountry.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}