Riley Green may have built plenty of country songs around romance, heartbreak and complicated relationships, but when it comes to finding the right woman in real life, his requirements appear surprisingly simple.

The country singer opened up about his love life during a September 4 appearance on the Today Show, where a playful question about whether he preferred an Alabama girl or a Nashville girl eventually prompted him to reveal what actually matters.

It has nothing to do with where she lives.

For Green, approval from his mom — and his dog Carl — could apparently tell him everything he needs to know.

Riley Green gets put on the spot about dating

Green appeared on Today while promoting his upcoming album, That’s Just Me, as well as his role on Season 30 of The Voice.

During the conversation, co-anchor Craig Melvin turned the attention away from music and asked about Green’s romantic life.

Melvin explained that one of the show’s producers wanted to know whether the Alabama native was searching for an Alabama girl or a Nashville girl.

Green immediately spotted an opportunity to have some fun.

“Well, where’s she from?” he asked.

“She’s from Nashville,” Melvin replied.

Green grinned before responding, “Well, maybe that’s it.”

The teasing answer earned a laugh, but Melvin continued pushing for something more specific.

“I don’t know what I’m looking for”

Green then admitted that he did not necessarily have a carefully defined idea of his ideal partner.

“I don’t know what I’m looking for, you know?” he said.

Melvin was not convinced.

“That can’t be true,” the host responded.

Green explained that geography was not particularly important to him, meaning a potential relationship would not depend on whether someone came from Alabama, Nashville or somewhere else.

But Melvin wanted an actual answer.

“So what are you looking for?” he asked.

That was when Green revealed the quality that might matter most.

“Probably just somebody that I think my mom will like.”

His dog Carl gets a vote too

Green’s mother apparently would not be the only one evaluating a potential girlfriend.

His dog Carl would also need to approve.

“If Carl and my mom like her…” Green said.

Then he came up with an even more entertaining way of handling his future dating decisions.

“We should just line ’em up and have Carl see who he goes to.”

Melvin quickly played along, joking that they could arrange the experiment for the following week.

It was a lighthearted exchange, but Green’s answer offered a simple glimpse into what he values when thinking about a relationship.

Rather than presenting a long checklist for a future partner, he pointed to the opinions of two important figures in his life.

Romance has long been part of Riley Green’s music

The subject is particularly fitting for an artist whose music frequently explores love and relationships.

Green has become known for country songs filled with romantic longing and complicated emotions, including “Don’t Mind If I Do,” with its memorable confession about how difficult it is to be separated from someone you still want.

Away from those songs, however, Green remains a bachelor.

His dating life has attracted attention alongside his rising country career, but his latest comments suggest he is not trying to define his future partner by where she comes from.

Apparently, the real test is much closer to home.

If his mom likes her and Carl chooses her too, Riley Green may have found exactly what he was looking for — even if he insists he still does not know precisely what that is.