By Samantha Errico

Country singer Hunter Hayes is back with his first single in three years, 'Heartbreak' ー but it's not your typical tragic love song.

"Honestly, it's not really about a sad situation, as much as it is looking at the stuff you been through in a positive angle," Hayes told Cheddar in an interview Tuesday.

When it comes to a real-life heartbreak, "you can talk bad about it or you can look at it as that is part of the journey that got me here," Hayes said.

The singer-songwriter played with the titles 'Future Better Half' and 'One Heartbreak Closer to You' before settling on 'Heartbreak.' Instead, he incorporated those two concepts into the song.

For Hayes, the process of songwriting needs structure. "I have to have direction, a concept, and then figure out how to say it."

The five-time Grammy nominee is set to embark on a 20-date tour this month throughout the U.S. The tour, titled 'Closer to You,' kicks off April 18 in Atlanta and goes through June.

"I want people to hear what I have been working on because this is the most me I have ever been," Hayes said.

Debuting new content on a tour can be challenging, but Hayes says his fans so far have been very receptive to his creative decisions.

"It always pays off, it always works, it always connects," Hayes said.

When it comes to distributing new music to fans, the rise of digital music platforms has "totally changed the game" in Hayes' eyes. So far, the singer has achieved over one billion on-demand career streams globally and three number 1 singles.

"It's prolonged the lifespan of each individual song," Hayes said. "And what it's helped me with is that I've been able to tell my story through these songs."

For full interview click here.