Devin Dawson began writing songs after getting his heart broken for the first time. In an interview with Taste of Country, Dawson -- ToC's first RISER of 2018 -- gets vulnerable about ... well, getting vulnerable. Readers can press play above to watch the full interview.

The up-and-coming singer-songwriter says he's "like, 51 percent good guy, 49 percent bad guy" -- and when it comes to love, he pushes bad-guy Devin a little bit more to the forefront.

"I'm not the best at communicating, like, to your face, but like I can write a song about it." Dawson tells Taste of Country. "Like, I can hide behind a guitar and tell you how I feel, and that's really what "Asking For a Friend" is."

Dawson explains that the lyrics of his new song tell the story of a guy who is trying to make amends but save face at the same time: "Yeah, what do you say? / It's Friday night and you're beautiful / So beautiful," Dawson sings in "Asking for a Friend." "What man wouldn't think you were the love of his life? / He'd be a fool / He'd be a fool / Just one drink would sure mean a lot to him / Hey, I'm just asking for a friend."

"You go through these things, and you learn," Dawson says of heartbreak, "and, for me, that drew me to writing lyrics ... needing an outlet to express or make sense of what I was feeling, 'cause I couldn't just do it in conversation."

Dawson says that while fans are split on whether or not the couple "Asking for a Friend" gets back together, in real life, the guy didn't get the girl back.

"She didn't take him back, in my experience -- which, honestly, worked out well for me, as it always does," Dawson admits. "Blessing in disguise, or things that lead you on to the next thing."

Also one of The Boot's Artists to Watch for 2018, Dawson was recently announced as Taste of Country's first RISER of 2018. The up-and-coming singer-songwriter released Dark Horse in January and earned a New Male Vocalist of the Year nomination at the 2018 ACM Awards; meanwhile, his debut single, "All on Me," is making a push to the top of the charts.

Later this year, Dawson will be opening shows for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The country power couple recruited Dawson to open the second half of the 2018 leg of their Soul2Soul Tour, beginning in June.

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