Spencer Sutherland may be a glamourous model now, but the Ohioan singer-songwriter credits his Midwestern roots for helping him write down-to-earth, relatable pop gems. Sutherland—who learned to play music by ear—unleashed his guitar prowess on his latest EP, Unveiled, which is made up of stripped-down, acoustic tracks. “I wanted to give my fans something that was real and full of emotion,” he says. Today he premieres a cover of “Same Old Love” by Selena Gomez and talks to Myspace about why he’d totally do a three-way with Gomez and Taylor Swift. (And no, it’s not what you think!)

Hometown: Pickerington, Ohio

Homebase: I am kind of a nomad right now. I am currently staying in Los Angeles with some friends, while I work with some producers and write new music.

Why did you choose to do a video for "Same Old Love"? Do you have a thing for Selena Gomez?

Who doesn’t have a thing for Selena Gomez? She’s talented and beautiful. I love the new direction of her music. I chose this particular track because I could relate to the lyrics—I had been through something similar myself and I thought that I could put my own spin on it. I hope she likes it.

And you’ve a ton of great covers on YouTube. (My fave is “Earned It” by The Weeknd!) How do you choose the covers you do?

I choose cover songs that I personally enjoy and identify with. Then, I try to record them as if the song was my own original.

You latest EP, Unveiled, is all originals. Tell us about how you wrote your new songs.

My EP was called Unveiled because it was comprised of stripped-down, acoustic tracks. I wanted to give my fans something that was real and full of emotion, since all my tracks were about the ups and downs of relationships.

How would you describe your music to someone who's never heard of you?

It’s a mix of soulful pop with a twist of R&B.

Did you always play music? What did you grow up listening to?

I grew up with my family playing music in the house. I was exposed to music like Elvis, Marvin Gaye and Al Green, which inspired my interest in music and influenced my vocal technique.

Do you remember the first song you wrote and recorded? What was it about?

Yes! It was so unbelievable. It was my first trip to LA and first time in a recording studio. I learned so much. I co-wrote the song with a producer that has written songs with everyone ranging from Katy Perry and Carrie Underwood to Jon Bon Jovi and N*SYNC. The song was called “Your Amazing,” and was intended to help girls instill self-worth and value themselves. Because girls ARE AMAZING!

When did you realize you wanted to make music for a living?

It was immediately after one of my first performances. I had the chance to perform in front of 20,000 people during my second performance ever. I remember being nervous and excited right before I took the stage. When I was on, I felt in control and all my nerves went away. When the crowd reacted to my singing, and actually sang with me, it was in that moment I knew it was what I had to do. I never looked back.

You're a model too--do you like making music or modeling better?

Music is my first love, but it is an honor to have been selected by such a prestigious company such as Ford Modeling. I feel that modeling is closely tied to singing, because both are performing in a different way.

Does modeling help you make music?

Yes, definitely. Modeling helps me to connect with and convey different emotions on cue. Whether I am on stage or in the studio writing, I always try to convey emotion and connect with an audience in everything I do.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

I have such respect for Bruno Mars and Chris Brown. It would be such an honor to be able to write with them. It would also be amazing to collaborate with Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift -- perhaps even in a three-way or something. I’m not sure that’s ever been done.