Drew Parker on his fiery new single “Love the Leavin” (exclusive)

Drew Parker is in top form these days, in more ways than one.

“The air conditioning in my house is broken,” Parker, 32, explains in an interview with PEOPLE from his home in Nashville. “A guy just showed up to fix it. My wife Mallory is eight months pregnant, so it’s receive be repaired.”

A broken air conditioner and the impending birth of his second daughter are just two of the many things the Grammy and CMA Award-nominated country singer and artist is currently juggling. But as if that wasn’t enough, Parker is also at a point in his career where everything seems to be boiling over at just the right time.

“I just played CMA Fest, and I mean, it’s really special to see these diehard fans that come out despite the heat to see their favorite artist,” explains the Georgia native, who is opening for Luke Combs’ Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour. “There are a million other places they could be. It’s one of those moments when you realize you’re doing what you’re supposed to do when they come to see you.”

Admittedly, there was a time not too long ago when Parker wasn’t sure where his career was headed, especially after the release of his debut single “While You’re Gone” in 2021, which reached the number one spot on SiriusXM’s The Highway’s Chart. Hot 30 Countdown only to stagnate on the Billboard country music charts.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been on the radio with a single,” says Parker, now basking in the bliss of his latest single, “Love the Leavin’.” “You never know if you’re going to get that chance at radio again, and three years later, it’s incredible to get that chance again.”

And yes, Parker still appreciates the importance and power of country radio. “I grew up a country radio fan,” he says. “That’s what my dad and I would listen to in the truck. When you get the opportunity to hear your song on the radio, it means you’re making a career, which is exciting for me and my family.” He pauses and adds, “My goal was always to be able to pay for my air conditioning to be fixed when the guy comes, you know?”

Certainly, 2024 is shaping up to be Parker’s perfect storm in many ways, as it has been in the past.

“I signed a record deal and wrote my first No. 1 hit on country radio as a songwriter (on Jake Owen’s 2020 hit ‘Homemade’) the week my daughter was born,” recalls Parker, whose daughter Harley is now 4. “Nine months later, I put out ‘While You’re Gone.’ And now ‘Love the Leavin’ is out there doing what it does. I mean, we’re going to have to put out a baby every few years.”

Parker, however, is the first to admit that “Love the Leavin’” felt magical from the start.

“It sounds So not modest, but I was never more sure of a hit than when we wrote ‘Love the Leavin’,” says Parker, who co-wrote the fiery song with Matt Rogers and Lindsay Rimes. “When I wrote it, I immediately sent it to Luke and then to other people, and within two hours a handful of bigger artists had put the song on hold to record it themselves. And to be honest, I thought this song was bigger than me. Luckily, I have a great team that knocked some sense into me and said, ‘Are you crazy? This is a career song.'”

It’s a song that will soon live on forever on Parker’s debut album. Camouflage Cowboythe release is scheduled for July 12. “The cut (of ‘Love the Leavin’) that’s on the record is almost identical to the demo we made in the room that day,” he says. “We basically just added some steel guitars to the record. It felt too magical in that moment to change anything and try to make it more perfect, if you know what I mean.”

And yes, the album’s release date is pretty close to his wife’s due date. “She’s due on July 20, but our first child came earlier,” admits Parker, who is also scheduled to play the Grand Ole Opry on July 13, with a laugh. “To be honest, I hadn’t even considered how chaotic this week could be.”