Austin Mahone, the 21-year-old pop star best known for kicking off his music career in 2010 with cover videos on YouTube, has a lot to be excited about. The star’s new EP The Secret comes out May 27, he’s starting his third country-wide tour in mid-May and just landed his first big fashion campaign with Fossil.

The iconic watch brand teamed up with Mahone and other celebs like Kristen Bell, Leslie Odom Jr. and Yara Shahidi to unveil its newest collection of innovative hybrid and touchscreen smartwatches with its Fossil First campaign, which invites stars to share the stories behind their Fossil watch.

We got the scoop from the super-stylish heartthrob about the special reason he loves working with Fossil, his music idols and more!

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Why was teaming up with Fossil on this campaign so important to you?

My dad passed away when I was two years old, and he had a Fossil watch that my mom gave him when I was around one or two. When he passed away, she saved it for me all these years and gave it to me on my 18th birthday. Once I started to work with Fossil I was like, “Damn, this is crazy.” I just got this gift from my mom, and now I’m doing a campaign with them. It’s crazy!

Do you keep that watch in a special place or wear it every day?

I don’t wear it too much cause it’s a little bit ancient. I don’t want to ruin or damage it. I keep it in a little plastic bag on my dresser so I can see it, but I don’t really ever wear it.

What watch are you currently obsessed with?

I really like the new Hybrid Smartwatch that Fossil came out with. I have three or four of them. I can connect it to my phone, it tracks all my fitness stuff when I go to the gym and I can take pictures with it. It’s pretty crazy.

Are you the kind of person that feels naked without a watch?

Not really to be honest. I was probably around 18 when I started wearing them. I do love wearing watches, but there’s a lot of times when I don’t want to wear one, like when I perform. It’s hard to dance around on stage with too much jewelry, so I just wear a chain and a little bracelet. Once I started getting mature and getting my man swag on, I’m like, “Alright, let me throw a watch on.”

Where do you like to shop?

I like to go to random stores when I am in other countries, like Japan. I like to find clothes that you can’t really find everywhere else. I remember a few trips ago when I was in Japan I found this suitcase that rolls around, but when you’re tired and don’t feel like walking, you kick it down and it turns into a scooter. Me and my boys got it! In Japan, they always have these crazy gadgets and different, random things you wouldn’t find in the US.

Who do you look up to in the music world?

There are a lot of people, George Strait being one of them. I actually just met him for the first time in Vegas when I turned 21. We took a shot together and shared a glass of whiskey. Well, I mean, we both had our own glass [laughs]. It was amazing. My mom was with me too and she was so nervous!

What’s your favorite song of his?

That’s way too hard! I love every single song, but probably two of my favorites are “Check Yes Or No” or “Write This Down.”

Are you excited to see Austin land his first big fashion campaign? Tell us what you think in the comments below!