How Country Star Dustin Lynch Is Making Vegas Nightlife Dance to a Different Beat
A country singer walks into a Las Vegas EDM club. The punchline? He’s headlining the place.
Dustin Lynch, the chart-topping Tennessean behind the global country hit "Small Town Boy," has left the porch light behind after carving out an unlikely niche in the Entertainment Capital of the World. Lynch's current Vegas residency with Wynn Nightlife represents uncharted territory for the storied entertainment powerhouse and its hedonistic properties, XS Nightclub and Encore Beach Club.
He's their first-ever country headliner, which sounds like the setup to a joke about fish out of water until you witness it for yourself. Working alongside DJ Grant Fisher, Lynch delivers live vocals over real-time electronic remixes, creating a hybrid performance that attracts both cowboy boot devotees and stiletto-wearing club regulars.
Country music and club culture occupy different planets in the entertainment galaxy, separated by aesthetic choices that run far deeper than just fashion preferences. But the Tullahoma-born crooner discovered that his twangy chart-toppers translate surprisingly well to the dancefloor, and he's now successfully bridging musical worlds that typically avoid each other like opposing political parties at Thanksgiving dinner.
The success of his Wynn club sets reveals that audiences hunger for musical experiences that acknowledge their expanding palettes rather than demanding purist loyalty to a single sound—a contagion far too prevalent in today's EDM scene. The venture also reveals how country music's narrative storytelling tradition actually shares more DNA with dance music's emotional release than either genre's gatekeepers would care to admit.
Still, it's a big bet for Lynch. His willingness to risk his country credibility for dancefloor validation reflects a generation of artists who refuse to be imprisoned by the expectations of their initial success.
We caught up with Lynch to discuss the implications of his ambitious foray into dance music, which took another leap forward today with the release of Club Set Remixes, a new EP comprising EDM reworks of many of his fan-favorite tracks. You can listen to the EP below and find it on streaming platforms here.
EDM.com: What initially pulled you into the electronic dance world? Was there a particular sound, show or moment that sparked your interest?
Dustin Lynch: Overall, I’d say it was a culmination of some of the best nights and core memories with friends—attending shows, parties and watching how the flow can introduce a room full of strangers to each other as the night unfolds. Riding that wave is unmatched.
EDM.com: Considering that Vegas residencies have traditionally been home to EDM icons and legacy pop acts, what does your presence as the first country headliner at Wynn say about where nightlife is headed—and how country music fits into that evolution?
Dustin Lynch: First and foremost, it’s an incredible honor! As far as where nightlife is headed, our palettes are always evolving musically, and we just continue to embrace that and try to provide the most fun atmosphere we can.
EDM.com: How has this new performance format shifted your relationship with your own songs?
Dustin Lynch: It’s allowed me to reimagine some songs I’ve sung thousands of times and now they feel brand-new. It’s even repositioned a few in our country show.
EDM.com: Do you find yourself writing with both country radio and the late-night club crowd in mind?
Dustin Lynch: I’m writing specifically for both Electronic Country and our traditional commercial country records, but these days I’m always listening for how we can flip or build for the late-night club scene, even when we’re chasing a "country song."
EDM.com: What gave you the confidence to take the leap? Were there moments when you wondered if this move might come at the expense of your country career?
Dustin Lynch: I honestly thought, "What the hell, I’m only going to get to do this one set ever–my first XS set—so I might as well do something fun." But the universe had other plans. This is the most inspired I’ve been to create music in a very long time.
That said, yes, it came with hesitation, knowing that some of my longtime country fanbase will need a little educating on what this is, and what it can and will be. I’m fully aware the haters gonna hate… but through the years I’ve learned to trust my instincts creatively, and that’s the wave I’m gonna continue to ride.
EDM.com: How do you respond to those who feel that genre-blending waters down the authenticity of country music?
Dustin Lynch: Country music is already a blend of genres. If we’re going to start looking at the specific ingredients, I’d start there. Blending electronic elements and the format of structure with country songwriting and instrumentation comes very naturally to my creative circle. At the end of the day, we’re making music we like—and like to do life to—hoping some of the rest of the world will do the same.
EDM.com: How do you bridge those two energies in your club sets? Do you lean into the flash, the story or find a new way to merge both?
Dustin Lynch: Throughout the set, we bounce between both ends of the spectrum. But if there’s one overall takeaway, it’s a smoothie of everything blended together.
EDM.com: Are you seeing proof that younger fans are more fluid in their tastes than the industry gives them credit for?
Dustin Lynch: 100% we’re seeing that. Any house party or day on the water my friends and I are having, and passing the phone around, we’re all over the place genre-wise.
That said, I still think it’s important we keep our genre labels up so we know where to navigate when we’re after a particular flavor. We’re just ordering a bunch of different flavors off the menu for the day.
EDM.com: What’s been the biggest adjustment in reading the room when your audience isn’t coming from just one musical world? Has it changed how you approach your performance or connection with the crowd?
Dustin Lynch: Early on, I got hundreds of reps playing unknown setlists at honky-tonks and country bars because we relied on the audience to dictate what they wanted to hear. That’s what I love most about performing our longer sets in this space. It allows us to take the temperature and make moves depending on what we’re getting back, both audibly and visually.
EDM.com: What would you say to artists who are curious about blending genres but hesitant to break from tradition? Do you see the industry becoming more open to that kind of experimentation?
Dustin Lynch: I’ve been thrilled with how open-minded some of the tastemakers in country music have been to my ideas. They’re very curious about what I’m seeing reaction-wise at our shows and what our next moves are.
As for the artists who are curious, I stand by saying: make the music you want, that moves you and your core squad of friends, and enjoy the ride. I sure as hell am.
EDM.com: For artists looking to follow a similar path, what skills do you think are essential, and where should they start investing their time?
Dustin Lynch: Essential is finding your creative circle where you can be comfortable and try new ideas. That just takes time and doing it. Reps are the non-negotiable when it comes to entertaining and commanding a room.
I’m blessed to have a great team around me that knows the sky’s the limit and is ready to have fun chasing it. None of us are sure where the ride goes or ends, but I do know one thing: you can add more tracks to the rollercoaster if you’re willing to put in the work.
Follow Dustin Lynch:
Instagram: instagram.com/dustinlynch
TikTok: tiktok.com/@dustinlynch
Facebook: facebook.com/dustinlynchmusic
X: x.com/dustinlynch
Listen: dustinlynch.lnk.to/clubsetremixes
