Danny Gokey is someone who likes to work with genuine people. Lucky for him, the 'American Idol' alumn has been hand-picked by Taylor Swift to open the next two weeks of her Speak Now World Tour.

"She's a sweet girl," Danny tells The Boot. "We did a photo shoot with her, and that's where I got to learn how big of a heart she has. I'd seen her before, but I'd never got to talk to her before. Getting [to know] her heart, her character and who she is, honestly blew me away."

The Wisconsin native knows how to read people. "We started talking about a few different things," he continues. "I like to look at people's hearts when I talk to them. I like to see what they're all about. Your mouth really speaks what's coming from your heart all the time. Talking to her, you just see how caring, sweet and kind of a person she is."

Fans on the tour will hear Danny's new single, 'Second Hand Heart,' during his acoustic sets. "It's the guy saying to the girl, 'I've got wounds, I've got scars and I'm not perfect, I have a second-hand heart,'" he explains. "It knows a lot more than in past relationships, because it's learned a lot more and it knows what it likes now. I want to take this second-hand heart and give it to you, and give more than it's given anyone else. It's like looking at a pair of jeans at a second-hand store, it's been used. The song title is very clever."

Will he carry on the country tour tradition of pranking the headliner? "Do a lot of people do that?" he inquires. "I don't know if I would want to tread that ground. [laughs]"

Danny hits the road with Taylor July 17 in Montreal, Canada. It will mark the 'Mean' singer's first night back following the postponement of four shows, thanks to bronchitis.

Get a full list of Danny's tour dates here.

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