If you're hoping to get to know country newcomer Cale Dodds, you'll like where this is going.

When we had a chance to talk to Dodds about his brand new video, he told us that his hope for "I Like Where This Is Going" is that watching it makes you stronger. In an emotional way. So you can make things happen.

"I hope my fans find a little extra courage after watching this video," Dodds shared with CMT.com. "Whether that means going up to that person at a bar, making that career move, or just taking a risk they’ve been holding back on. I think that’s really what this video is about: finding that self-confidence that we maybe didn’t realize was there." And self confidence like that, he sings, can make the whole night feel like it's in slow motion.

The video was shot all over Music City, Dodds said, and what mattered most to him was that it not be just about him. "I didn't want the video to be centered around the artist just singing the song. I wanted to co-star and collaborate with a great director that could create a story line that would stand out."

The Columbus, Georgia native told us that he wrote the tune with two of Nashville's finest, Nicolle Galyon and Busbee. "This was an idea I had been working on and they were the perfect duo to help bring it to life. 'I Like Where This Is Going' is about anticipation: that new, young love feeling that you can get at any age with a new romantic beginning."

Beyond being in a writing session with those two, Dodds also credits Sam Hunt with teaching him a valuable music lesson: "We toured with Sam Hunt before and after he got signed to a record deal," he said. "He taught me the power of making sure every song in your set connects with your fans live, and was just as important as your single."

After opening for Chase Rice this year, Dodds will be bringing his music to intimate clubs across the country. He's looking forward to headlining some of his own shows at iconic theaters like the Vic in Chicago and the Clyde in Fort Wayne, because they're a long, long way from his Worst Gig Ever:

"A Waffle House at 7:00 am on Valentine’s Day during a wedding ceremony," he told us. "Not kidding."