Devin Dawson is explaining why he sounds different lately — he's struggling with dysphonia.
In an interview with Storme Warren on SiriusXM's The Highway last week, the country star said he has been grappling with the muscle condition and voice disorder, which prevents him from sounding like he normally does, for the last "10 months to a year."
"It's not common but it definitely happens to people and no one really talks about it. I've never had an issue being vulnerable or honest or authentic or whatever but it just felt like time to kind of just open up," the singer said about finally sharing this months-long journey.
Dawson, 33, told the host that he began noticing a change when he was opening for Zac Brown Band on their Comeback Tour in December 2021.
"There were certain notes in the middle of my range to the lower part of my range where it was like, 'Why does this not feel the same?" the singer-songwriter said.
In the interview, Dawson said he doesn't feel any pain, and doctors in both Nashville and Boston have each told him that there is nothing physically wrong with his vocal cords. He has tried several remedies to no avail, but remains hopeful.
The self-proclaimed "country music goth" shared more about his experience with the condition in a vulnerable Instagram post on Sunday.
"For me it has severely [affected] my talking voice and my singing voice in the lower ranges," he wrote in the post. "When this all started I hoped it would be a couple month recovery and that I would do all the work to find my way through it."
He said that although he's "way better" than he was a few months ago, he's not able to give his fans "100%" yet.
"One of the hardest parts of this has been just getting everyone up to speed individually and having to almost relive how much it sucks not to be able to talk or sing the way I want every time I catch up with someone," he continued.
Dawson also added that this condition has had silver linings, saying that he's gained perspective, clarity and humility, and has "really enjoyed getting to sharpen other swords," such as his songwriting. (He's the writer behind Blake Shelton's No. 1 hit "God's Country.")
It's been over a year since the "All on Me" singer released his last project, The Pink Slip, and Dawson said in his post that "NOBODY wants me to make another record more than I do."
"And I will," he added.
"As far as when that's gonna be - I'm not so sure," the singer continued in the post. "But I am sure it will be a damn good one."
