Florence native Dillon Hodges never really made a debut as a musician. Playing music has been a part of him since he was a child and now, 24 years old with some shiny national awards and three full-length albums, Hodges is soaring to the top of the charts for his folk-meets-pop, bluegrass style.

In 2007, Hodges took home the first place Flat-Picking National Championship trophy, which is proudly displayed at his alma mater, Florence High School. He was only 17 years old, the second-youngest to ever win the award. Since then,  Hodges has graduated from the University of North Alabama, gotten married, moved to Nashville and recorded three successful albums. His two solo albums, titled “Stormy Weather” and “Rumspringa,” feature rustic folk tunes and a few autobiographical bluegrass ditties. He has crafted a southern fanbase and headlines bands around the South, with his biggest performance yet being at the Hangout in Gulf Shores, Alabama this past summer.

However, Hodges is shifting directions with his career. He has teamed up with a few of his friends and his third album, self-titled firekid, features the same Americana heart, but with a touch of pop. Using more than his remarkable voice and God-given musical talent, Hodges has experimented with synthesizers and a little more percussion to give his songs a more modern feel.

One song, although revamped from its folksy roots, stands out on the album. Hodges took one of his first songs from “Rumspringa,” titled “Movin’ On,” and recreated it with upbeat undertones and some new lyrics that completely changed the meaning behind the song. But this is what makes firekid so special: “Movin’ On” went from being a song about Hodges’s marriage proposal to a catchy tune about life. While Hodges has been known to write songs about his journey through love and transformation, he strays from mainstream music by focusing less on petty love and more about life and making people happy with his harmonic stories.

What is best about this album, however, is its ability to hold original “Dillon fans” close while broadening Hodges’ range of music tastes. Hodges took his other albums and soared while still holding true to where he is from and what he is about. Even though it is a struggle to hear synthesizers in a bluegrass-born song, firekid keeps the listener comfortable with the organic sound and potent Alabama roots. Hodges has proven that he can explore all variations of his music and make something beautiful, all while giving his listeners material that truly feels like home.