At a time when country music seems to be torn between rhinestone polish and dusty-road sincerity, Dylan Gossett plants his boots firmly on the latter on debut full-length Westward. At just 25, the Austin, Texas native has already made a big impact. The multi-platinum success of his breakout single “Coal,” written, produced, and recorded in his bedroom, proved that heart-on-the-sleeve songwriting and homespun authenticity still carry some weight. On Westward, Gossett doubles down on that ethos, taking a wide-open road trip through faith, family, love, and longing, all scored by his blend of country ramble and folk introspection.

The record, written and self-produced in its entirety by Gossett, is steeped in stories that feel very believable, and touchingly personal. There are meditations on marriage, reflections on spiritual grounding, and the pull of chasing dreams while staying tethered to where you come from. It’s a journal passed through a six-string and a freshly weathered voice that knows how to whisper as powerfully as it belts.

“Coal” is the clear tentpole, a song that went viral for good reason with its confessional tone and universal ache. But it’s no outlier. Song after song is bolstered by the emotional continuity and “me against the world” attitude he’s honed since recording GarageBand demos in his bedroom as a teenager. That DIY instinct still pulses through Westward, even as his star rises. Though he's worked with seasoned producers like Eddie Spear and Ian Fitchuk on recent EP tracks, this album is his vision through and through. That autonomy doesn’t just show up in the liner notes, it’s in every chord, every lyric.

What sets Gossett apart from the crowd of TikTok-born troubadours is that he’s not chasing a sound, he’s living one. The album is a culmination of two whirlwind years spent touring the globe, watching his songs take flight, and still finding the time to write new ones on the road. If Westward proves anything, it’s that Dylan Gossett is first and foremost a full-fledged storyteller. Part troubadour, part trailblazer, one man mapping out his journey in real time, and bringing the rest of us along for the ride.