Bailey Zimmerman Turned Heartbreak into Music for Debut Album — 'Crying a Lot' in the Process (Exclusive)

Bailey Zimmerman writes his heart-wrenching ballads from experience.

In light of his upcoming debut album Religiously. The Album., PEOPLE is exclusively previewing Zimmerman's interview on Today's Country Radio with Kelleigh Bannen on Thursday, where he opened up about tapping into his emotions while songwriting.

"Honestly, the record isn't where I'm at right now, really, it's back when I was really sad every day and crying every day," the "Rock and a Hard Place" singer, 23, said.

"That's why there's tears on the album cover. Because honestly, when I went through what I went through, I was crying a bunch because I couldn't believe how much love I gave and then that happened in return," he continued.

The singer-songwriter also said that though it "may not be the thing to say," all he could remember was "crying a lot."

"That's crazy how somebody you thought really loved you can turn like that and do something so whack," he said.

Zimmerman also said that he doesn't stray from what's true to his story.

"I don't really tell the [breakup] story because I don't think it's important, but just know everything I'm writing, I've been through it, and the feelings and all the songs are, I've been there before and I will never sing about something I don't know," he said.

"If I don't know that feeling or that message of the song, then I'm not going to sing it. So that's why I try to say that at every show is like, 'For those out there that are crying and letting go tonight and really sad right now, just know that I've been there. I'm not there now, I'm really happy,' he added. "'But I've been where you're at and there's a reason I'm singing the songs I'm singing is because I've been through every single thing that you're going through.'"

The full episode will air on Apply Music Country Friday at 10 a.m. ET. or anytime on-demand at apple.co/_TodaysCountry.

In January, Zimmerman appeared on the same show and opened up about his whirlwind year and rise to success.

"Every day I wake up and there's more records we broke, there's more streams and we're doing really big things but it doesn't feel like that. I still feel really normal and I still feel like, 'Holy freakin crap, what is even going on?'"

He continued, "I wake up in Nashville every day and I'm like, 'This is insane man.' "

Religiously. The Album. is out Friday.