Photography by Orest Dorosh – Flores debuted on the Billboard charts for the first time on December 2, 2023, which “Please Don’t Go”, a song from his EP The Hutson Sessions, premiered at number 43 on the Hot Country Songs chart. On December 27, 2023, he released a cover of “How to Save a Life” by The Fray, stating “I hope this little late Christmas gift helps those who aren’t having the best holiday season”.
In February 2024, Flores took a brief hiatus from performing and cancelled several of his upcoming tour dates, citing struggles with his mental health and impostor syndrome. He resumed performing in April.
Flores released his second EP, Half Life, on April 19, 2024. Discussing the project, which features songs dissecting his relationship with fame, mental health, religion, and romantic relationships, with Grammy.com, he stated that “I like to keep it very based on what I felt, and just try and go for that emotion. If you can somehow captivate [listeners] in the story and make them feel the emotion through the song, then you’ve done your job. I guess that’s all I’m after.”
On August 30, 2024, Flores announced that his debut studio album, Welcome to the Plains, would be released on October 18 via Island Records. It was preceded by the release of the lead single “Don’t Wanna Say Goodnight”. On October 18, 2024, Flores performed “Oh Susannah” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
ZANDI HOLUP
