Bailey Zimmerman on Stagecoach and Taking Care of His Mom (Exclusive)

Bailey Zimmerman has come a long way since his 3:00 p.m. set time at Stagecoach Music Festival — and he isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Speaking with PEOPLE about his highly anticipated return to the country music festival in April, the “Fall in Love” singer shared his favorite memories and reflected on his journey since he first played it in 2023.

“Stagecoach is honestly just a different atmosphere,” Zimmerman, 25, tells PEOPLE exclusively of the festival.

Reflecting on his first year playing the festival, the country singer said it was “110 degrees” out — but he was so “pumped” he didn’t care.

“I’ll never forget that feeling of going out on my first Stagecoach stage and just rocking and having so many people that were rocking with me. It was so crazy,” he says. “And then to get it to do it the next year with Morgan [Wallen] and HARDY, it was just like, ‘Dude, is life even real? This is insane.'”

For his forthcoming set, Zimmerman — who was brought out as a surprise guest during Luke Combs‘ headlining set in April — says he plans to “go out there and do exactly what I do.”

“I am just going to go out there and freaking rock my face off and give 150% just like every single show. I’m not going to lie. I am already just a little nervous because you got to go out there and rock,” the “Religiously” singer says.

He adds, “It’s just going to be unreal. It’s going to be so much fun. I’m so stoked, if you can’t tell.”

When Zimmerman played Stagecoach the first time, he had released his hit “Rock and a Hard Place” — which peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 — only months prior and “Fall in Love” became a viral success. Since then, his career has been nothing short of a “whirlwind.”

“It has been the craziest times of my life. I literally grew up in trailers, house to house, robbing Peter to pay Paul type thing,” Zimmerman, who recently released his sophomore studio album Different Night Same Rodeo, says.

“Seeing the success that music has brought to my life and just the blessings it’s brought to my life and the lives it’s changed… It’s so crazy,” adds Zimmerman, who previously built pipelines. “I’d only flown one time before I started music, and now I’m regularly flying on jets and going to here and there and touring.”

While the “Holy Smokes” singer is grateful for his recent successes — including nominations for Billboard Music Awards, ACM Awards, People’s Choice Country Awards, and CMT Music Awards — what makes it worthwhile is getting to share it with his mom.

“The thing that I’m most proud of is that I get to take care of my mom. Because growing up, she really just gave everything to me and my family and never really had anything herself,” he says. “And it makes me want to cry because like I said, nobody ever gets this opportunity.”

Zimmerman continues, “And just the fact that I get to take care of my mom and make sure she doesn’t have to worry anymore… It’s just really, really cool to get to see her smile and get to see her take vacations.”

Tickets are available for Stagecoach, which is happening April 24-26, at stagecoachfestival.com.