When it comes to songwriting, inspiration can strike at any moment—whether he’s behind the wheel, binge-watching a new Netflix series, or unwinding in his portable hot tub. The rising country artist, whose new EP, Varsity Blues, was recently released, explained on the latest episode of the Country Muscle Podcast that he’s developed an uncanny ability to keep his creative antenna up, no matter what’s going on in his busy world.
“A lot of my ideas come when I’m sitting up there just thinking about life and stuff,” Clayton says of his unconventional songwriting strategies—including a Costco-purchased blow-up hot tub he set up on their rooftop. If it’s not the calming relaxation of a hot tub, a long drive can help form a new song idea.
“Sometimes when I’m driving, something might pop in my head, and I’ll pull out my phone and hit a voice memo,” he explains.
You can check out Clayton Mullen’s appearance—as well as every other episode of the Country Muscle Podcast—on the Country Muscle YouTube Channel, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean.
5 Clayton Mullen Takeaways from the Country Muscle Podcast
- Clayton Mullen has been full of ‘Grit’: During his high school basketball days, Clayton Mullen says he was known as the “grit guy”—valued for his relentless hustle, defense, and work ethic rather than scoring. He often made up for his smaller stature with determination and heart.
- Touring Life Is a Grueling and Hands-On Endeavor: Like his country music predecessors, Mullen and his team are tasked with doing everything themselves—driving from city to city, setting up gear, and selling merch, often at the expense of rest and recovery. Example: “We’re just bootstrapping the whole thing, so it’s all hands on deck.”
- Clayton’s Journey Was Unplanned: Clayton didn’t always dream of being a musician—he was set to start a sales job after college until a last-minute publishing deal changed everything. Example: “About a month before graduating, I got a call from a lady named Courtney Allen, who is my publisher now, and she wanted to sign me to a publishing deal.”
- Staying Grounded and Grateful: Mullen remains humble, calling himself an “up and comer,” and is grateful for the chance to pursue music and fitness on his own terms. “I would absolutely consider myself an up and comer. “We got some music that’s really great, that’s coming out, and I hope people hear it and start to pay attention to what we’re doing.”
- The Importance of Consistency and Resilience: Clayton believes in consistently releasing music and not getting discouraged if a song doesn’t blow up—he lives by the advice that “everyone is one song away. “Corey Kent once told me, everybody is one song away. You can’t slow down…one song can change your life.”