Voice Winner Huntley presents the video for “Tell Me When It’s Over” (exclusive)

Huntley will be the morning after his Agree win.

“I woke up in an empty hotel room with nothing but me and a trophy,” the 34-year-old vocal artist told PEOPLE in a recent interview. “Everyone was gone and I was supposed to be visiting my family, but I was asked to do the halftime show at the (Los Angeles) Chargers game. I ended up staying in the hotel by myself for an extra week,” he pauses. “I think there’s a misconception about what happens after you win those shows.”

Certainly the stage on which Huntley and so many others have performed over the quarter century of The voice was an event that not only offered artists an incredible opportunity to inspire an already passionate fan base, but also a real chance to build a career they could only dream of.

“It’s a great organization to work with,” said the winner of the 24th season of The voice emphasized. “They were fair to everyone and gave everyone a chance to voice their opinion. They really gave you the opportunity to show what you would look like with a million dollar set.”

Still, the former football player, whose first name is Michael but who has long been known by his nickname Huntley, said the real work didn’t begin until after the show.

“I really don’t want to get into business stuff, honestly, but I think people think you get this Kelly Clarkson moment and they just give you the world,” says Huntley, referring to the winner of the first season of American Idolwho has had one of the most successful careers of all time. “But I was not given any instructions and just felt that it was in my best interest to become independent.”

And that’s exactly what Huntley did this spring.

“It really comes down to the fact that a lot of the artists can write well, can connect with the audience they’ve gained through the show, and they have a great team around them, and I’m glad I have that,” he says.

And with this team, Huntley is now embarking on a whole new chapter in his career with the release of his new single “Tell Me When It’s Over”. “Many promises in life don’t always live up to expectations,” he says of the meaning of the powerful song.

The song also partly comes from a previous relationship.

“I went through a lot while on The voicehe admits. “I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs in a relationship I was in. When I love, I love with all my heart, and it’s really hard for me to give something up just because of differences. It’s just time to end a relationship when it gets to the point where you come home every day and you kind of lose a piece of yourself – and everyone knows that.”

It’s that pain that’s heard throughout “Tell Me When It’s Over,” but especially in some soul-crushing notes toward the end of the song. “It’s one of the fastest songs I’ve ever written in my life,” Huntley explains. “I think that’s what happens when it’s just coming from the heart. You can’t really fake something like that. That’s one thing I’ve learned from this whole experience: the responsibility of building a connection with the audience.”

There’s now an equally powerful music video for “Tell Me When It’s Over,” which is also premiering exclusively on PEOPLE. “It was so hard for me to come up with a concept myself,” he says. “I had an idea of ​​what vibe I wanted, but I didn’t want to be so specific about my own relationship. I wanted it to be relatable to a lot of people.”

And Huntley is still approachable, because he was the one who first answered the call from The voice While he cooks spaghetti and meatballs for his children, he continues to keep his priorities in mind.

“To my kids, I’m just a dad,” he says, laughing. “Stella is growing up so fast. She’s her own little rock star. And my son (Michael) is my biggest fan. Basically, I’m out and about doing all these things, and as soon as I land, I pick my daughter up from school. I’m blessed to be able to do both, and it’s definitely been crazy to navigate, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know this is my dream, but there’s a lot more to fight for than just a dream.”