Looking for Mr. Atlanta

By Rachel Cholst, Contributing Writer

Give Freddie Mercury a pair of cowboy boots and stick him in one of those bachelorette booze-bicycle contraptions in Nashville, and you’ve got Fancy Hagood’s “Mr. Atlanta.”

Hagood, an Arkansas native, left his hometown for LA, chasing down a career in pop music and living as his more authentic self, where he released a number of hits under the name Who Is Fancy? 

Burnt out on the pop music life, Hagood moved to Nashville, where he is busily racking up co-writes with some of the best in town. One of his most recent hits is the stunning title track of Little Big Town’s most recent album Nightfall. 

“Mr. Atlanta” ties together all of Hagood’s influences: a catchy-as-hell hook hinging on a beautiful scale that will not leave your head, some of the smartest lyrics you’ll hear, plus an orchestral swelling of voices and a string section that feel straight out of Nashville’s countrypolitan years. 

While Fancy Hagood hopes that the man of his dreams will reciprocate his feelings in this song, it’s clear that he’s got the goods when it comes to country music: all of Hagood’s singles so far are masterclasses in tight songwriting with emotional range. Hagood’s album, Southern Curiosities, will be out later this year.