Dylan Schneider Discusses C2C Festival 2026, The Lesson He Learned From Florida Georgia Line and More

It sounds a little startling to learn that 2024's PUZZLED was Dylan Schneider's debut full-length album. It's a name we've been hearing ever since he first stepped on-stage with Brett Eldredge as a 15-year-old to perform the latter's ‘Tell Me Where to Park’.

In the years since, Schneider has been treating his burgeoning fanbase to viral online covers, unreleased snippets and singles that double-down on his genre-blurring mission statement.

Drawing from the likes of Florida Georgia Line and Morgan Wallen in his ability to nimbly navigate country, R&B and trap textures without ever straying into corny or forced territory, Schneider has cemented himself as a key figure in today's country scene.

Such was his early promise, Schneider was invited to open for the FGL duo shortly before their now-infamous split in 2022, an experience that ended up being formative for him.

“Man, to be honest with you, they were around in a very, very difficult and unique time in my career”, Schneider reflects, “It was shaky. It was weird. I was working with some management that didn't really make sense. My whole team had shuffled around. Tyler [Hubbard] was really there a lot through that and helped talk me through those things. At the time, I think we were like 19, I was living in Nashville with one of my best friends. His name is Gabe Faust, and he was just trying to get into songwriting. Now, he's a No. 1 songwriter, and we still live together”.

He goes on, “He was really there for me and Gabe, just guiding us through the business, and making sure that we were getting treated the right way...I think the biggest thing was the importance of going with your gut. When you think something's not right, maybe it's not and you need to change something up. Or when you think it's time to let go of somebody, maybe it's time to let go of somebody and move on”.

Now, fast forward a few years, and Schneider is paving the way with his refreshing contemporary country blueprint, one grounded in tradition while unabashedly modern.

He describes PUZZLED as “a step into a new world”, reflecting, “It was something I was obviously anticipating for a long, long time. It needed to be right, and I think it needed to be executed in the best way possible...It was the process of three and a half, four years...I would love to put out a record every 12 month cycle”.

He admits, “But it's hard to do, and it's hard to be super sure about things...With the new thing we're doing and the music that's coming out soon, it's a similar process of just making sure I'm getting the right thing, regardless of how long it takes”.

When delving into his influences, Schneider cites a plethora of artists from rock, country and rap as being key to shaping his style, but one stands out, “I was really into rock music when I was younger, it was always on the radio. My parents were listening to it. I liked Kiss - and then I really got into Nickelback...All those records like ‘Photograph’ and ‘Rockstar’. All the Right Reasons was a big influence of mine...We'd be in my dad's old green Dodge Ram, and we would just blare that album, with my whole family in the car, loving every minute of it”.

Schneider also shows love to Eldredge, who is a key part of the Indiana native's origin story, as well as Darius Rucker and Kenny Chesney, naming the latter's infectious - and criminally underrated - George Strait collaboration, ‘Shiftwork’, as a favourite.

UK fans can look forward to hearing Schneider's vibrant, eclectic sound on the C2C Festival 2026 stage this weekend, “One thing I'm really excited about is that we're bringing my whole band over. I've done a lot of the acoustic things, and I know on the Spotlight Stage, I'll do an acoustic set again, but yeah, having the whole band and doing a few shows here and there is going to be awesome”.

Schneider adds, “Coming off the Kane Brown World Tour, that was the most fun I've ever had over there, and to so quickly turn it around and come back across The Pond is really cool...It's gonna be a breath of fresh air and a great way to start up 2026”.

Rest assured his blossoming fanbase in the UK and Europe share his enthusiasm, with Schneider's set one of the most anticipated of C2C Festival 2026. He's joined on the impressive bill by Keith Urban, Brooks & Dunn, Zach Top and many more.

Dylan Schneider plays the London leg of C2C Festival 2026 at the O2 Arena on Saturday, March 14th 2026.

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