They say, “Home is where the heart is”, and international singing star Austin Mahone has added living in Nashville to the list of things he loves, along with God, his mama, and cat Moon.
Most will remember when 14-yr old Austin hit the Pop scene in 2010 with breakout YouTube covers, showcasing a lilting falsetto within his captivating dulcet tone that had fans drawing comparisons to Justin Bieber on more than one occasion.
By Valentine’s Day in 2012, he had dropped his first single “11:11“, reaching #19 on the Billboard Heartseekers Song Chart. Performing with Playlist Live in Orlando was only one of the 34 concerts Austin took part in that year. He fondly recalls the overwhelming support of songwriter/producer David Malloy, and for the opportunity to take part on Nashville’s Teen Hoot stage at the beginning of the rise in his career.
While hit songs like PSY’s “Gangnam Style”, Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” and Maroon 5’s “Payphone”, were dominating the pop charts, it was also then when Mahone’s second single “Say Somethin” Billboard’s Top 40 Chart. The industry caught up, and Austin signed his first record deal.
In 2013, Mahone won his first VMA, performed in front of President Barack Obama, opened for Taylor Swift on her “Red Tour”, and became a worldwide sensation, winning coveted awards from MTV, Radio Disney, Teen Choice, and iHeartRadio, his face donning the covers of teen heartthrob magazines across the globe.
In 2014, he collaborated with Pit Bull on “Mmm Yeah, which to-date has been his second most streamed song, and dropped a remix of “Lady“, featuring Pit Bull, reaching number one on Billboard’s U.S. Dance Club Songs Chart. A few years later, T-Pain performed for Austin’s 21st birthday party at Sway Night Club in Fort Lauderdale, with a surprise opportunity for Austin to join him onstage.
When meeting Mahone, one might expect a somewhat guarded, and pretentious facade as a result of his extraordinary career as a pop icon. What you immediately experience instead, is someone who is deeply sincere, honest, open, kind, and thoughtful. Known to be a man of few words, admitting that he’s not one to just talk for the sake of being heard, but rather when he needs to say something of value.
Well versed on the realities of the music industry, Mahone has taken full control of his career and its new direction.
Mahone established a career in Miami for 12 years, but revealed, “I felt like I was in a box. I had been stagnating as an artist for a while. Those I was surrounded by had a different vision for me than I had for myself.” The need to return back to what he knew, his roots took over. “I had a need to return back to my roots, and back to a place where I’m amongst people making music, with fewer distractions. People are of course making great music in Miami, but it isn’t the main focus for most.”
Mahone goes on to share that being around the people he thought would better his career was more important. “I want to be around more musicians and songwriters in a city known for music; in the country capital of the world. I want to get better at my craft. I want to shake up my ability to make music and meet new people and be part of the community here,” he shares.
His career now coming full circle, producing his very first hit single “11:11” in Nashville, Mahone could deny his roots no longer.
In Florida, Austin met Jim Jonsin, Grammy winning producer, singer, and songwriter with 31 platinum awards to his credit in Pop, Hip Hop, and R&B, who had, himself, made the move to Nashville in 2016. When Mahone decided to do his transitional album from purely Pop, he reached out to Jonsin for production, resulting in the release of his album “Lone Star Story”.
A resident of Nashville now for two years, Mahone shared, “I love it here in Nashville, to be able to walk around, and to be a part of the community. When I was here another time in 2011 to meet with some music executives, and manager when I first considered moving to Nashville, I stepped into a local coffee shop and saw Taylor Swift enjoying the quiet while everyone just left her alone. I was the only one who approached her for a photo op. It was two years later when I worked with her, but I remember back thinking how great it must be to just chill and enjoy a quality of life that didn’t include being watched.”
Of late, Mahone has been writing with Christian Stalnecker (Kane Brown, T-Pain), Spencer Jordan (Knox, Shaboozey, LØLØ, Livingston), James Maslow (Big Time Rush), just to name a few of the many talented artists, adding “I’m always down with people who are down to write a good song.”
For now, fans can expect to hear Mahone mix his favorite genres with country as a base. Some have questioned whether straying from one type of music might confuse his fans. “My inspiration was a long-haired Keith Urban, who came out of Australia. Who lives in the country genre space, integrating Rock ‘n’ Roll with unique guitar licks, and soulful R&B progressions, which made him popular and authentic,” Mahone points out. “Moving between genres isn’t a hard transition for me. I feel comfortable with it.”
He envisions his older self leaning toward traditional projects, with traditional instruments, writing songs like the ones he heard growing up on from greats like George Strait and Alan Jackson.
“The dream collab I would feel so blessed to have, is a feature with George Strait, unheard of and legendary. One with Keith Urban would be fire!”, he confesses. Working with T-Pain was taken off of his bucket list in 2015 as the influential Hip Hop/R&B singer is featured on Mahone’s “Dirty Work Remix”.
Having lived the lifestyle that involves red carpets, and attendance at MET Galas, Mahone still managed to remain grounded and humble. He attributes an untethered and peaceful mindset to his faith, believing that his purpose here is to be instrumental in gathering people together, spreading light, and helping to bring change. A 10-yr longing fulfilled, Mahone closed out 2025 with the launch of the American Monarch Foundation, as a philanthropic desire for purpose-driven impact beyond the stage.
The purpose of Mahone Non-Profit 501 (c)(3) Foundation is for collaborative charitable and educational activities to support community organizations for families and youth. With a mission statement that reads:
To bring people and communities together with one common purpose: to uplift lives, spark inspiration, and drive meaningful change across the world.
Fully in control of his music career now, Mahone knows what he wants for himself. He has an understanding of how the industry works, and can direct the course. When he was a kid, he remembers just wanting to be outside climbing a tree. Now he’s focused on consistency, on the release of new music, and performances, as well as in his daily routines like going to the gym.
When asked what he’d like to manifest for his career going forward, the list involves: the release of at least three country albums, to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, and for his name to be included in the list of artists mentioned whenever there’s talk about country music.
In keeping with his plan, Mahone is focused on two new project releases in 2026, which he describes as his version of country, an energy behind it with more storytelling than we’re used to from him, and a little R&B mixed in. The tracks will include organic instruments, like an acoustic guitar, and piano.
“I came here to make music and just write better songs and hopefully gets some to land on the charts, top 40 is preferable, top 10 is the dream, #1 if I dare to say. I have come to learn that anything’s possible.”
His latest single “Girl’s Gone Cold” was released in December 2025.
Follow Austin Mahone for up-to-date information about upcoming announcements through his socials: Instagram // X // TikTok // Spotify
Follow American Monarch Foundation: Instagram // X // TikTok
