If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Hunter Hayes just gave Justin Timberlake a major compliment. The 23-year-old performed an acoustic version of Timberlake's multi-platinum 2013 hit "Mirrors" for the YouTube channel Country Now, earning rave reviews from Timberlake himself.

"Nice job, @HunterHayes!! You guys sound GOOD," Timberlake tweeted when sharing a video of Hayes' performance.

"Dude! Thank you! Thanks for checking it out!" Hayes replied.

Hayes, who admits that he is a huge fan of Timberlake, says that he chose the song because of its ability to transcend genres.

"This song stood so strongly as a lyric and melody that it could be re-arranged any way possible and still be so strong as a message," Hayes tells Rolling Stone Country. "I thought it would be cool to transform it into a bluegrass record ... of sorts.

"I love rearranging things into acoustic songs. I've spoken a million times on my obsession with bluegrass instrumentation and my dream to explore what we can do with these sounds in a modern soundscape," he continues. "I love dreaming about what you can do with that beautiful, familiar sound to create something new and radical that still feels like home."

Hayes recently announced the launch of his 21 Tour, which will hit several college campuses and other venues across the United States.

“We’ve had such a great time touring this summer, and I can’t wait to get back out there this fall and see our fans in a close-up setting,” Hayes says. “We’re going to make it all about the music, with every night holding something unique only to that show."

A list of all of Hayes' upcoming tour dates is available on his website.

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