Fast-rising country star Scotty McCreery scored a big hit straight out of the box with his debut album 'Clear as Day,' but the former 'American Idol' champ doesn't want to rest on his laurels. In a new interview, he says he's taking a different approach to his upcoming second studio effort -- temporarily scheduled for September or October -- which he describes as a mix of traditional and contemporary country.

The album's first single, 'See You Tonight' marks a major step forward for McCreery. “That’s the one I’m really excited about because I had a hand in writing it,” he tells Billboard. “That is one of those things I didn’t have a chance to do on the first record because coming off 'Idol' as the winner, you have a deadline for the first record. We were on the Idol tour as well so we were trying to squeeze it all in."

The singer has been balancing recording and touring on the weekends with attending college, and naturally he's at a different place in his life after those experiences than he was as a 17-year-old fresh from his 'Idol' win. He wants the new album to reflect his growth as a person and as an artist.

“You’re going to see the country roots that I love. I grew up on the old stuff," McCreery shares. To that end, the new album is heavy on fiddle and steel. “It will still be current music though. That’s what we’re going for," he adds.

“You are going to see a more mature Scotty."

The title, track listing and release date for McCreery's upcoming album are still pending.

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