Prior to opening up for country artist Hunter Hayes on his We're Not Invisible tour on March 22, 2014 in Youngstown, Ohio, Dan + Shay surprised their fans who were standing in the meet + greet line with a surprise acoustic performance of their debut single, "19 You + Me", with Shay Mooney singing the lead vocals and Dan Smyers singing harmonies and playing the acoustic guitar. Many of the fans who were standing in line sang along to the duo's song. Smyers and Mooney walked through the middle of the line, interacting with their fans as they were singing.
Smyers and Mooney truly love their fans. From day one to the present, the duo have always interacted with us, whether it is on social media or at their shows (pre-show meet + greets, post show meet + greets, from the stage, etc.). This is one of the many reasons why I have supported them since the day I became a fan in March, 2014. They are both real, genuine, humble human beings and artists.
Stay tuned for more posts surrounding “19 You + Me”, including my take on the song (the lyrics, vocals, production), my commentary on the music video, and so much more!
Please enjoy the acoustic sing-along to "19 You + Me" below from Dan + Shay's YouTube channel that was posted on March 24, 2014!
Below are the Dan + Shay trivia questions that I posted on my social media pages on June 17th! Whether you participated in the poll questions on my blog Facebook or Instagram pages or not, please feel free to write in the comments of this post what you think the answers are in any format that you like!
To give everyone plenty of time, I will update this post in one week with the correct answers! I would love to see a lot of participation! Have fun with this! Even if you guess the wrong answer, that is ok! As long as you have fun, that is all that matters! Happy guessing!
Question 1: What is the title of Dan + Shay's fourth album?
Here is my second Saturday Spotlight that I did via e-mail with my wonderful (online) friend and loyal Dan + Shay fan, Meagan! She is a Rhode Island native, now a Connecticut resident. Although I have not met her in person, we have been connected through social media (Facebook, Twitter — now X —, Instagram, and Messenger) since I became a fan of the duo in March of 2014. She has always interacted with my social media posts and said the nicest, sweetest things in the comments as well as in our Messenger chat. I am very grateful that Dan + Shay and their music brought her into my life over 11 years ago. As you will find out in her Saturday Spotlight below, Meagan has been a Dan + Shay fan since September of 2013, six months before I discovered their music!
In this second session, I asked Meagan about her favorite Dan + Shay album and individual songs, what she loves most about the duo, her meet + greet experiences with them, and much more! At the end of the Saturday Spotlight post are some pictures with the duo as well as a video of Dan performing at the award show she attended. All of the information on that experience is below.
Please enjoy reading my second Dan + Shay Fan Spotlight session with Meagan!
Stacy (S): When did you become a fan of Dan + Shay and how did you discover them and their music? What were your first thoughts after you heard their music for the first time?
Meagan (M): I first saw Dan + Shay on September 20, 2013 when I was 19 ("summer of 19 you + me" anybody? Lol). I had gone to the The Big E Fair in Springfield, Massachusetts to see another artist in concert and Dan + Shay happened to be the openers. I remember being very impressed by them, especially when they said they had only known each other for less than a year. They seemed like they had been playing shows together forever. I remember them teaching us the “ayo ayo” part of “Show You Off”. When they introduced their song “Stop, Drop, + Roll”, I remember being intrigued by the title, and then thinking “Aww, that’s clever!” when they played it and I heard the lyrics. Shortly after, I remember "19 You + Me" coming up on the TV music channel while I was hanging out with my family and saying, "Hey! I know THEM! I SAW them!" lol. And the rest is history. I've always said don't skip the openers at a concert. You never know, you might just find your next favorite artist!
(S): How many times have you seen Dan + Shay live, including concerts when they were openers, at festivals, etc.? What were some of the venues? And if you had to pick one, which concert has been your absolute favorite and why? Tell me some details about that event.
(M): I’ve been lucky enough to see Dan + Shay 30+ times, first as openers, then as headliners, and some fairs/festivals, benefit concerts, and other events in between in and around New England/East Coast (when you live in Rhode Island, the smallest state, you have no choice but to travel to see concerts lol. I always say I will forever "Rhode trip" to see them if that's what it takes). I have even traveled to Nashville a few times to see them. It’s very hard to pick just one favorite as they’ve all been amazing and many have been extra special. If I had to pick, I’d probably say my favorite concert was at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Massachusetts. Cape Cod has been a special place, as it was my childhood family vacation spot, so getting to see my favorite duo play at such a cool venue in my favorite place was amazing. The Melody Tent is a small, intimate venue and it made for a great show! As an added bonus, I got to meet them again after the show and even got a selfie with Dan before the show (and got to meet Dan's dogs!). When I saw my meet + greet picture, my first thought was "wow, I don't think I've ever seen myself smile that big!" lol
(S): How many times have you met the duo? What is your favorite meet and greet moment? Does anything Dan + Shay said to you that was memorable or special stick out in your mind? If so, tell me about that memory!
(M): I have met Dan + Shay probably around 10 times, I’d say, and I’ve run into Dan solo before shows a handful of times. I remember the second time I met them in Rhode Island I was so starstruck and told them I was nervous, and Dan said “Don’t be nervous, we’re just a couple of clowns!” That still makes me laugh to this day nearly 12 years later. Another favorite memory was when I had a week full of Dan + Shay. In 2018 they announced their summer tour as openers for Rascal Flatts (another one of my favorites). I was so excited when I saw they were coming to Massachusetts, about an hour from me, so of course I bought tickets. The only problem was I had plans to go to Nashville for a few days the week leading up to the show (which fell the week of Country Music Association Festival). I was lucky enough to time it just right so that I was able to see Dan + Shay perform at the Country Music Television Awards (from the front row) and see them win their first award, as well as go to their fan club listening party for their new album prior to its release (which was SUCH a cool experience. We got to wear special headphones and listen to their album for the first time all together). At the meet + greet after, I told Dan + Shay that I had seen them at the awards last night (and Dan said he saw me in the crowd), and that I was flying home that night to see them that weekend. When I was home a couple days later, I was extra excited when Dan messaged me and told me that he put my name down for the “VIP Experience” for the show that night, which included a pre-show acoustic set and meet + greet. I had brought my sister to the show and she got to see and meet them for the first time and learn what great guys they were. You could say I got to “show them off." haha
(S): What is your take on the fact that Dan + Shay still to this day control all of their social media accounts to interact with their fans? What is your favorite memory when they have interacted with you in the past? Describe it and how it made you feel.
(M): I think that it is truly amazing that Dan + Shay control their own social media to interact with fans. I feel like that is so rare these days, especially now that there are apps where you have to pay to receive a video or message from a celebrity. Whether it’s a personalized video, a tweet, a reply to an Instagram story/message or just a simple “like”, they really go out of their way to make the fans feel special and to form a real connection with them. I've been lucky to have had so many special interactions on social media over the years, but my favorite honestly has to be this past year when I went to Nashville for the "Wags and Walks" Benefit show. It happened to fall two days before my birthday, so I took it as a sign that I needed to go lol. During the show, Dan waved to my mom and I in the crowd (I wasn’t even right in the front, and honestly didn’t think I could possibly be seen as I’m pretty short lol), and then the next morning he replied to my Instagram story and said that it was so good to look out and see me. As a shy/reserved person who usually blends in with the crowd in everyday life, it blows my mind that they recognize and still “know” me, especially since it’s been nearly 6 years since the last time I met them in person.
(S): In this moment if you had to pick one of the six albums Dan + Shay have released so far including the Christmas album, which one all the way through is your favorite and why?
(M): This is a tough question; each album is unique and holds such special memories. I’d say it’s a tie between their debut album and their most current album. Where It All Began has a such a nostalgic feel to it and brings me back to when I first discovered them. I vividly remember sitting in my college dorm doing homework and listening to their debut album (the week before it came out as part of a promo from Spotify, if I remember correctly) and thinking, "These guys are GOOD." It was around this time that I first started going to concerts as well, so they were one of the artists that got me to fall in love with live music. I also love Bigger Houses because its got such a variety of songs and truly shows how far they’ve come as artists. I really love that it has such a country feel to it and I like all of the instrumentation. It includes songs that make you just want to sit and listen to the lyrics and songs that make you want to get up and dance.
(S): In this moment if you had to pick your top three favorite songs from Dan + Shay (radio singles or not), what would they be? Tell me why each one is your favorite.
(M): First, I’d have to say “Nothin Like You”. This is one of the songs I remember listening to in my college dorm, as mentioned above, and really enjoying. I remember being so pumped when they chose it as the next single, which would then become their first number one single. Next, I’d say a tie between “Keeping Score” and “Bigger Houses” because they both have such positive messages of not comparing yourself to others and being appreciative of what you have. “One Direction” also fits in this category as well since it’s about not taking anything for granted. I feel like that song is highly underrated. Finally, “What Took You So Long” was my immediate favorite on the new album. I thought it was such a nice story and painted such a perfect image of patience, and that even if it takes forever, the right person will be worth the wait. I also think the melody is beautiful.
(S): What are the top two things you love most about Dan + Shay and why?
(M): They are so talented at singing, songwriting, producing, entertaining, etc. Shay has one of the best voices I’ve heard (and somehow is even better live). Their stage presence is unmatched. Even in their early days when they played simple sets with no special effects, videos etc. or even just acoustic with their guitar, they put on such a great show. Along those same lines, I just love how their music is “family-friendly". At their shows ,you see adults, teens, and kids alike just there to see two awesome guys put on an amazing show. I’d say they make the epitome of “feel-good music”. :)
They are also the kindest artists I’ve met. Like I said above, they make you feel special and more like a friend than just a fan. Whether it’s personal interactions from stage or at meet and greets or simply expressing their gratitude for the crowd on stage, you can tell they truly appreciate all the support from the fans.
(S): Is there anything else you would like to add that I did not mention in the questions above? Please feel free to tell me.
(M): I just want to thank you Stacy for asking me to share my stories and memories about being a Dan + Shay fan. It was fun to reminisce and reflect on all the "good things" that have happened to me because of them. You are probably the biggest supporter of Dan + Shay that I've "met" (online) over the years and I was honored to be asked. Your blog is amazing and the perfect place for Dan + Shay fans.
Top photo: Dan + Meagan Selfie - Cape Cody Melody Tent, Hyannis, MA - September 2, 2016
Bottom photo: Meagan and Mom, Robin selfie with Shay - Yankee Candle Village, Deerfield, MA - May 3, 2015, Selfie taken by Shay
Top Photo: Hershey Park Stadium, Hershey, PA, August 17, 2019, Photographer - Catherine Powell
Bottom Photo: Cape Cod Melody Tent, Hyannis, MA, September 2, 2016, Photographer - Rob Norris
After Dan + Shay scored their first number one song, "Nothin' Like You" at country radio at the end of 2015, they left their fans wondering what was coming next and when that would happen. On February 5, 2016, their fans got the answer. The duo released the new single titled "From The Ground Up" from their forthcoming sophomore album. Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney penned the love song with co-writers, Ashley Gorley and Chris DeStefano.
The track was inspired by both sets of their grandparents who were together for a combination of over 65 years. In interviews with iHeart Radio and Taste Of Country, the duo talked about the creation of the song and how their grandparents inspired the lyrics.
"My grandfather had just passed away and Shay's grandfather was in the hospital, and we were getting all emotional," Smyers told iHeart Radio in an in-person interview. "And we had an acoustic guitar, so we just started rattling off lines, and he wrote the line 'We'll build this love from the ground up,' which is symbolic of the love that our parents shared and our grandparents shared, and they were together for 65 years, which, you know, these days, with all of the divorces and stuff in the media and press, is a rare thing. So, that's something we like to strive for, and something we like to have in our own lives. So, we wrote this song called 'From The Ground Up,' and it was really, really special to us, and it moved us. And we went and played it for everyone that was on our team and everybody close to us, and they felt the same way, so we chose this as our single, and it's probably the most special song that we've ever written."
Mooney told Taste Of Country, a country music website, how at the time, there were a lot of drinking and party songs on country radio, but he and Smyers were about to release something completely different.
"We wanted something that isn't really being done right now, which is just a true love song, just about love, and you know, the endearment of that, and the hope of actually staying with somebody for a long time is something that's not necessarily talked about all that much, so we're really excited to put something like, like that on the radio," Mooney said.
He went on to tell the country music website about the reaction his grandmother had when he played her the song.
"I actually played it for my grandma the first time when we got the video back," he said. "It was after my grandpa had passed away and she had kind of gotten out of her head a little bit, just, you know, when you've been with someone for 65 years, and you know, you lose them, it's like really a tough thing, and not a lot of emotion was shown on her part, you know, up until I showed her that song and she just started bawling, and it's something like that, that can move someone like that, it's just music is a very powerful thing."
Smyers told Taste Of Country how fast the song came together. The four songwriters were talking about their grandparents and those conversations helped build the song from the the verses to the chorus and everything in between.
"We were just talking, man, and this song kind of wrote itself. Like an hour and a half later, we had written this song called 'From The Ground Up'," Smyers told Taste Of Country.
Stayed tuned for a future post where I dig into the song's lyrics, vocals, production, and so much more!
Below are the videos of the duo talking about "From The Ground Up" with iHeart Radio and Taste Of Country
Video courtesy of iHeart Radio's YouTube Channel
Video courtesy of Taste Of Country's YouTube Channel
Dan + Shay released their single "Save Me The Trouble" on July 14, 2023. The track, which consists of Shay Mooney's crazy vocals and Dan Smyers' solid harmonies, hit country radio on July 17, 2023. By January 8, 2024, the song became the duo's 10th number one song at country radio. To celebrate this milestone, Smyers and Mooney got together at Smyers' house and posted a short piano clip of them performing the song's chorus on their YouTube channel as well as on their social media platforms.
To me, the studio version of this song is incredible and over the top in all of its aspects (Mooney's vocals, Smyers' harmonies, the production). However to me, it sounds as incredible when it is just the two vocalists and Smyers on the piano. The two could sing this song without any instruments except their voices, and I would still enjoy it. Their voices are the instruments. Because Mooney's vocals are so pure and Smyers' harmonies are so beautiful, they both blend together nicely. The duo really do not need to be backed up by any instruments. In my opinion, they are really that talented.
Stay tuned for future posts that detail the meaning behind the song, the song's music video, and so much more!
Enjoy the duo's celebration piano clip of "Save Me The Trouble" below!
I genuinely love every single song from Dan + Shay's most recent "Bigger Houses" album for different reasons, whether it was a country radio single or not. I will explain further when I profile the remaining songs in upcoming posts (I already profiled the lead track, "Breakin' Up With A Broken Heart". You can find that post I wrote on May 24, 2025.), including for the song in the music video below, "Then Again". This track was not a single, but I love the production, vocals, and lyrics.
Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney brought cozy summer night vibes to the music video, with Smyers dressed in a corduroy button-down shirt over a light colored T-shirt and jeans playing his acoustic guitar while Mooney is dressed in a brown T-shirt and light-colored jeans. Smyers and Mooney are sitting on their own bale of hay around a bonfire with a Ford Bronco (vehicle mentioned in the song lyrics), singing a song that reminisces about the past. I love this music video for so many different reasons, one of them being that it is very simple.
Enjoy the music video for "Then Again"!
Music video courtesy of Dan + Shay's YouTube Channel
On November 8, 2024, Dan + Shay posted a behind the scenes music video that shows the making of their original song Christmas song "Parson Brown" in the studio. I always enjoy watching videos of what it looks like when Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney are in the studio bringing their songs to life! Stay tuned for a future post that includes the meaning of the song, the production, and my take on it. In the meantime, enjoy the behind the scenes music video of the song below! Enjoy!
Dan + Shay released their self-titled album on June 22, 2018. "Tequila" was the lead single from the project and propelled the duo to the top of the radio chart later that year. That was followed by their romantic wedding song "Speechless", which also became a huge hit. Both songs are still played weekly on country radio today.
All of this success earned the duo four nominations at the 2019 Country Music Association Awards, which aired on ABC on November 13. They went into the ceremony with chances to win awards in the Single of the Year category for their song "Speechless", Album of the Year for their third project, Dan + Shay, Song of the Year for their smash hit "Tequila", and a consecutive nod in the Vocal Duo of the Year category.
The duo always has some stiff competition in the Vocal Duo of the Year category at the CMA Awards, and 2019 was no exception, with legends, Brooks & Dunn and current duos Maddie & Tae, Brothers Osborne, and Florida Georgia Line all in the line up.
When country male vocalist Jimmie Allen and country group Midland announced in unison that the duo had won their first ever CMA Award, they were both shown in the audience; Mooney could not believe it, putting his hand over his eyes and then kissed his wife, Hannah; while Smyers looked excited and hugged his wife Abby.
They both looked very handsome. Smyers was dressed in a black suit with a black shirt underneath and black pants with white stripes, while Mooney was dressed in a white suit with a black button down shirt and black bow tie underneath. His look was finished off with a pair of black pants.
Before they headed up to the stage to accept their award, both guys gave one another a handshake and then a big hug. While "Speechless" played over the speakers of Bridgestone Arena, the duo walked up to the stage, still in shock, and were not able to wipe the gigantic smiles off their faces.
"This is a little overwhelming, man," Mooney began. "There are so many of our heroes in the room, Brooks & Dunn, are you kidding me?"
Mooney went on with his portion of the speech.
"This is absolutely incredible," Mooney continued. "I have so many family and friends watching right now. My grandma is actually in the hospital right now. Granny Mooney, shout out to you. Thank you so much for teaching me about Jesus, and loving people, and being a good person."
He finished his speech by mentioning what country music means to him.
"I'm so thankful for this," Mooney told the audience. "We love country music. It raised us, it teaches us so much about empowerment."
"Thank you country radio for playing these songs, the country music fans, and there's so many people I want to thank right now," Smyers said.
He finished by gushing over Mooney and his vocal talent.
"Shay, I love you man, you're my best friend in the world, and you're my favorite singer in the entire world, and I'm so thankful that I get to do this with you," Smyers remarked.
The two hugged again before leaving the stage.
While the duo were up for four awards, they only took home one trophy. The fact that they picked up their first win the Vocal Duo of the Year category was a huge deal to them and to me as a fan. While they lost in the other three categories, they were still winners to me. Being nominated four times is a win itself.
Stay tuned for future posts on their other wins, performances, and fashion on the red carpet at future CMA Awards broadcasts.
Below is the video of the Dan + Shay winning their first ever CMA Award and a couple of screenshot pictures from the video courtesy of ABC's YouTube page! Enjoy!
Video courtesy of ABC's YouTube Channel
Screenshot of Smyers and Mooney hugging courtesy of ABC's YouTube channel
Screenshot of Smyers and Mooney accepting their award courtesy of ABC's YouTube channel
Over the last decade, Dan + Shay have collaborated with artists from the country category like Carrie Underwood and RaeLynn as well as artists in the pop genre like Charlie Puth, Kelly Clarkson, and Justin Bieber, to name a few. Stay tuned for future posts on each of these pairings!
While I have enjoyed each one of these pairings, my favorite trio was when Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney joined pop star Tori Kelly to perform their hit song "Speechless" at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards on May 1, 2019. This then led to the three releasing a studio version of the track. To me, Mooney's crisp vocals and Kelly's angelic vocals plus Smyers' beautiful harmonies sounded like perfection, a match made in heaven.
Mooney, who wore a camouflage jacket over a white t-shirt and black jeans, sang the first half of the first verse and then traded off to Tori Kelly, who wore a long silky garment over a white top and sparkly pants, to sing the second verse accompanied by the piano of the duo's romantic number one song that was written primarily about seeing their wives in their white dresses at their respective weddings for the first time. However, the song has other meanings that will be discussed in a future post. The two combined their voices for the pre-chorus and then Kelly took over before they arrived at the chorus. Smyers, Mooney, and Kelly sang the chorus together.
Kelly started off the second verse, she and Mooney combined for the second half along with Smyers' harmonies. Smyers wore a black patterned shirt paired with black jeans. The trio sang the chorus again. At the end of chorus, both Mooney and Kelly hit their high registers and received applause from the audience. The two traded off lines at the end, with Kelly showing off her impressive vocals. They came together at the end and you could hear the sweet spot in both of their voices. The trio received a round of applause by the audience in attendance at the ceremony.
Stay tuned for future posts about "Speechless" that will include my take on the original track (the lyrics, vocals, production, story behind the song), the music video that includes footage from both Smyers' and Mooney's weddings, and so much more!
Below, enjoy Dan + Shay and Tori Kelly's harmonious performance of "Speechless" at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards courtesy of Dan + Shay's YouTube channel!
To me, Dan + Shay always put together the funniest, most positive light-hearted content on social media and on their YouTube channel for their fans. Whenever I see one of these videos, they always makes me smile and laugh.
On September 17, 2023, two days after the duo released their highly anticipated Bigger Houses album, they posted a video to their social media pages and on their YouTube channel. The caption on their Instagram post read, "Have you seen our packages?"
Dan Smyers, dressed in a white short-sleeve shirt with blue trim, jeans, and cowboy boots, is standing in the room with wooden walls and floors. He has the "Bigger Houses" CD booklet in his hands, talking to Shay Mooney is who is across the room from him.
"Man, this Bigger Houses packaging looks amazing," Smyers said. "Have you seen it?"
"No let me see," Mooney replies.
"Here, check it out," Smyers answers back.
Smyers tosses the normal size booklet to Mooney. In the next scene, Mooney, who is wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, catches a larger-than-life copy of the Bigger Houses vinyl album package.
"Oh dude, it looks incredible," Mooney exclaims.
The video was made to encourage their fans to buy a copy of the vinyl album and to also to have some word play fun with the albums title. It literally means large houses, but it took on a different meaning when the song with the same name was written. Stay tuned for a full post about the songs meaning and more!
Also, stay tuned for more posts on their past and future creative, short content videos!
Below is the short, yet funny clip courtesy of Dan + Shay's YouTube channel shorts page! Enjoy!
Below are the Dan + Shay trivia questions that I posted on my social media pages on June 17th! Whether you participated in the poll questions on my blog Facebook or Instagram pages or not, please feel free to write in the comments of this post what you think the answers are! To give everyone plenty of time, I will update this post in one week with the correct answers! I would love to see a lot of participation! Happy guessing!
Question 1: Where was Shay born and where did he grow up?
Possible Answer #1: Albany, New York
Possible Answer #2: Sacramento, California
Possible Answer #3: Natural Dam, Arkansas
Question 2: What is the title of Dan + Shay's second album?
Possible Answer #1: "Already Ready"
Possible Answer #2: "Obsessed"
Possible Answer #3: "How Not To"
Question 3: Dan's wife Abby sings background vocals on which Dan + Shay song?
Possible Answer #1: "Steal My Love"
Possible Answer #2: "My Side Of The Fence"
Possible Answer #3: "Always Gonna Be"
I will be back tomorrow with a regular scheduled post!
Dan + Shay can pretty much write about any topic and the song will catch my attention. One that particularly stopped me in my tracks when I heard it for the first time was "Happy New Year", the last song on It's Officially Christmas: The Double Album that the duo released on October 18, 2024.
To me, everything about the song is perfection from the poignant lyrics to Shay Mooney's gorgeous vocals and Dan Smyers' exquisite harmonies, and the beautiful production, which consists of the piano, a string section, and drums to drive the song all the way home.
Recently when I looked at the songwriters on the album and found out that Smyers wrote this track on his own, I was even more impressed with his immense talent than I already am. I want to include many of the full lyrics from the track because they are so well written and paint vibrant pictures and stories by the producer and harmonist of the duo.
The hopeful track starts off with Mooney's voice accompanied by the piano. He sings about how the past year included "rock bottom" moments as well as "mountain top highs", but they made it through the 12 month period. However, Smyers writes that the memories of the "trophies and scars" are erased from their minds.
To me, it feels like the first verse above may have been written about when the duo were on a high after The (Arena Tour) and all of the other successes they had. Then many of those things were erased from their minds when they did not speak to one another four months. This is how I interpret the verse when I listen to it.
In the pre-chorus, which is also Mooney's voice accompanied by the piano, Smyers writes about some of the things he did in the past year, with lyrics like, "I did some things that I wanna take back/Isn't that just the way that it goes" and continues with, "Said goodbye to a friend and we cried til we laughed/ At a bar in the town we call home."
The chorus starts with the piano and string section accompanying Mooney's soaring lead vocals and you can hear Smyers' harmonies if you listen very close when they sing, "Happy New Year everyone/May it be filled with peace and love/We'll say goodbye to the old and hello to the new/I'm just so grateful for you." He continues to sing the chorus, "Happy New Year Happy New Year/May it be filled up with good health and cheer." They finish it with, "May it be blessed All of the best/And may we all have a happy new year."
During verse two, Smyers writes and the duo sings about the things he wants to do in the new year, including "I'll take time to call up my mom/Just so she knows that I love her" and "Give new adventures to all of my dogs/Lord knows they ain't getting younger."
At the start of the second pre-chorus, Smyers writes and the duo sings about being easier on himself and taking the time to be more grateful for himself and his family.
"I'm gonna try to give myself grace/For the things that I cannot control." and "I'm gonna try to thank God each day for the life and the hands that I hold."
I can relate to this entire song. However, the third verse really speaks to me and I can connect to it with my life experiences in the last few years.
"Here's to the lessons we learn as we go/The beauty that comes from the broken/So raise up a glass and join me in a toast/To living with hearts wide open."
When I heard this song for the first time and even when I listen to it today, it gives me chills and makes me emotional. While it is a Christmas and New Years tune, I will listen to it all year long because the lyrics teach us about many life things that are mentioned above. "Happy New Year" was definitely the perfect way to end the 21-song project.
Below is the official audio video of "Happy New Year" courtesy of Dan + Shay's YouTube channel. Enjoy!
Official audio video courtesy of Dan + Shay's YouTube Channel
One of the songs that Dan + Shay released prior to their Bigger Houses album coming out in 2023 was "We Should Get Married". I thought it would be a slow, romantic song when I first read the title. However, I was wrong on the slow part! The duo fooled me with that part of the track. Stay tuned for future posts where I will profile the song lyrics, vocals, and production as well as one with my commentary on the full music video.
Before they delivered the song to the world, the duo released a short clip of the start of the music video on social media and YouTube to spark the curiosity of their fans and raise the excitement level.
The scene is set. Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney are sitting in their dressing room getting ready to perform one of their love songs at a wedding. Smyers is dressed in a full tuxedo while Mooney is wearing a white shirt, bow tie, and black pants. The wedding planner knocks on the door and begins to engage with the duo. She is talking very fast and gets her point across to the guys.
"So, look, this is the program," she begins. "You're gonna go out, you're going to do that first dance. We need you to do your song and be out of there because then we have the DJ coming, we need to get people up and dancing."
Next, the wedding planner confronts the duo about all of the slow wedding songs they have previously released.
"I'm sorry, but you're just not that bad, right?", she said. They shake their heads at her. "Okay, perfect. So I'll check in later, right, right, okay? Perfect, thank you."
After she leaves the room, Mooney looks over at Smyers. Dialogue commences between the duo.
"Everyone thinks we're just the ballad guys, the first dance guys, so frustrating," Mooney says.
"We don't need a DJ to get the people out on the dance floor," Smyers exclaims. "We got songs for that."
" I think we should just go rogue and play the song," Mooney says.
"That song?", Smyers says.
"The song," Mooney replies.
Then you hear Mooney singing "Oh, we should get married" and it goes fast through some scenes from the music video, ending with a scene of the bride and groom, Joan Collins and Michael Jordan, getting married at the 24 Hr Drive Up Wedding Window in Las Vegas.
Below is the teaser clip from Dan + Shay's YouTube channel Shorts page. Enjoy!
Video courtesy of Dan + Shay's YoutTube channel Shorts page
When it comes to love songs, Dan + Shay are masters at writing them. They have hit the top of the chart with "Speechless", "From The Ground Up", and "10,000 Hours", their collaboration with Justin Bieber, to name a few. They have also released other love songs that have more of a steamy vibe to the lyrics. A few examples are "What Keeps You Up At Night" from their self-titled album. While they did not write this song (one of the handful they did not pen), to me when I listen, it feels like they wrote it. Another example is "Close Your Eyes" from their debut album. I will profile these songs in future posts!
While these songs are part of their repertoire, I did not see it coming when the duo performed a cover of Boyz II Men's 1994 hit love song "I'll Make Love To You" at their concerts in 2015. It was a song I never expected them to cover, yet it ended up being one of my favorite covers of theirs! It fit their harmonies and Shay Mooney's insane vocals perfectly. They absolutely blew me away with their rendition of this song. I was lucky to almost be in the front row when the duo performed their cover at the Intersection on October 18, 2015.
Mooney's warm, welcoming vocals started off the song with the first verse that includes lyrics like, "Close your eyes, make a wish And blow out the candlelight". Dan Smyers sang harmonies alongside Mooney while playing his acoustic guitar.
Mooney started the second verse singing lyrics like, "Pour the wine, light the fire Girl, your wish is my command." His voice always draws me in as a listener; he especially did on this song.
The refrain includes passionate lines like, "I'll make love to you Like you want me to And I'll hold you tight Baby, all through the night." Shay delivered those lyrics smoothly. He ended the first refrain holding out the note of the lyric, "Till you tell me to."
When he hit the third verse, it sounded like he was really talking to the female character in the song, focusing on the crowd when he sang it. He stretched out the first lyric, "Girl, relax" and pulled the audience into the story, continuing to sing the verse I mentioned above, with the next lyrics in the third verse, "let's go slow, I ain't got nowhere to go I'm just gonna concentrate on you Girl, are you ready? It's gonna be a long night."
Mooney went on to continue telling the story, singing sensual, revealing lyrics like, "Throw your clothes On the floor", with the fourth verse lyrics stating, "I'm gonna take my clothes off too." Mooney continued the verse singing, "I've made plans to be within you Girl, whatever you ask me, you know I could do."
The lead vocalist finished off the bridge and the last two choruses with more impressive vocal notes and high notes.
His vocals soared and he hit some impressive high notes throughout the song. The performance was crazy and off the charts, so much so that the audience was screaming and swooning at the same time!
This was one of the most memorable moments for me at the October 18, 2015 concert. I still cannot believe that I was treated to that special performance at this show! I think if they were to cover it again today, Mooney's vocals would be even crazier!
Dan + Shay performed this song acoustically and got the opportunity to perform it with Boyz II Men in 2016. Stay tuned for future posts about those performances.
Below is a video of them performing "I'll Make Love To You" at The Intersection courtesy of Tarin Irene's YouTube channel!
Dan + Shay have a close relationship with Kelly Clarkson, the first winner of the reality singing competition American Idol. She collaborated with the duo on their song Keeping Score", which can be found on their 2018 self-titled album. They even received the opportunity to perform the meaningful track with her on the Academy Of Country Music Awards stage in 2019. Stay tuned for future posts with my commentary on the song and their performance of it.
As of 2024, the duo and Clarkson also had something in common. Clarkson has been a coach on The Voice, the popular NBC singing competition for nine seasons. Dan + Shay joined the show as coaches, sitting in the new double chair for season 25 in early 2024. While they did not win, their country artist, Karen Waldrup made it to the finale. Stay tuned for future posts about their first time as coaches on The Voice.
On February 27, 2024, Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show, which aired on CBS. Clarkson caught up with the duo on a few topics. Below are some quotes that I transcribed from the interview in a YouTube video.
First, she asked the guys what their experience was like to sit in the double chair on "The Voice" for the first time.
"The double chair is insane," Smyers said. We always say Blake (Shelton) was so big, they just put a divider down; we both sit in it now."
Next, Clarkson revealed that she did not know the duo were separated for four months at the end of 2021 and into 2022. She thought they had been relaxing, not taking time away from the duo for another reason that Smyers would reveal during the interview.
"Being a duo, we say, is the hardest configuration of a group," Smyers said. "You've seen, historically, a lot of duos go their separate ways. It's like a marriage; if you're not going out of your way, if you're not being open with each other, if you're not communicating in real time, things can go separate."
He went on to to tell the talk show host about what happened.
"We finished this tour," Smyers said. We did our first arena headlining run, like sold out Madison Square Garden, all these bucket list things."
Tue duo both knew that tour had many successes, but when it ended, they were both in a not so great place. Smyers revealed how they felt and what he did after returning home from being on the road.
"We walked away and we were just like 'what was it all for?' You're kind of just, you hit this crazy, like, hangover period," Smyers told Clarkson. "I was sitting on the couch for like two weeks, wasn't reaching out to Shay, wasn't thinking about music, wasn't listening to music. and I was like 'something's wrong.' I love music; it's everything to me, you know?"
When Smyers and Mooney got back together after not talking to one another after four months, they made a plan for moving forward.
"So Shay came over to the house and we just made a promise to ourselves to spend more time together," Smyers said. "It changed everything. I feel like we got closer than we ever have and we're just in this new era of gratitude."
Toward the end of the interview, Clarkson asked the duo about their single "Bigger Houses" and how they could relate to it in their own lives. Mooney took the reigns on answering this question.
"This song, it felt like kind of for the first time, like, my personal life and my band life came together," Mooney said. "Those two were so separate for so long because Dan and I were kind of, for awhile, going in different directions and that was, you know, part of the problem. It wasn't you know, that we were fighting, it was just that, you know, we're kind of going here. When we realigned that and kind of got, you know, our thing together again, got it right, it was just like our family life, everything, just came together."
Mooney talked about how he and Smyers had reflected on the way they will look at their successes in a different way in the future.
"We just had to have that moment where we looked around and was like 'man, it doesn't matter all these things you could have; we have three Grammy's, but we could win a hundred, you know?' If that's gonna be your goal, you're always going to be chasing after something, a higher high, you know? This thing that is, is never ending, you know, checkered flag I guess you could say. And for us, there's just like, we have to get back to the real thing that matters; it's like the people that are in our lives, telling those people that we love them and making sure that we are nurturing those relationships and taking stock in all that."
When it came to the lyrics of "Bigger Houses", Mooney told Clarkson that he was able to connect with them, even though he did not help pen the song. The track was written by Smyers, Andy Albert, Jordan Minton, and Jordan Reynolds.
"This is exactly where I am in life right now," Mooney said. "You know, the second verse says 'I can hear the kids making little footsteps running down the hallway upstairs.' And you know, I just put myself in that moment."
Below is Kelly Clarkson's interview with Dan + Shay from The Kelly Clarkson Show YouTube Channel. Enjoy!
Video courtesy of The Kelly Clarkson Show YouTube Channel
Below are the Dan + Shay trivia questions that I posted on my social media pages on June 10th! Whether you participated in the polls on my blog Facebook or Instagram pages or not, please feel free to write in the comments of this post what you think the answers are! To give everyone plenty of time, I will update this post in one week with the correct answers! Happy guessing!
Question 1 from 06/10/2025: Where was Dan born and where did he grow up?
Possible Answer #1: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Possible Answer #2: Baltimore, Maryland
Possible Answer #3: Wexford, Pennsylvania
Question 2 from 06/10/2025: Which is an unreleased song by Dan + Shay?
Possible Answer #1: "Lipstick"
Possible Answer #2: "Partner In Crime"
Possible Answer #3: "Let Me Get Over Her"
Question 3 from 06/10/2025: Finish the correct "Bigger Houses" song with the correct lyric:
Possible Answer #1: "You're never gonna fill an empty glass"
Possible Answer #2: "You're never gonna fill an empty mug"
Possible Answer #3: "You're never gonna fill an empty cup"
Question 4 from 06//10/2025: When is Shay's birthday?
From the first moment that I heard Dan + Shay's debut album Where It All Began on Spotify in March of 2014, I could tell that each song came from a genuine place when they were written. Their voices (Shay's lead vocals and Dan's background vocals and harmonies) as well as the production on each song sounded like nothing I had heard before. At the time, I thought a lot of the songs on country radio were full of noise. Dan + Shay's music was anything but that. It was relaxing for me to listen to. The production was well thought out, definitely not a bunch of noise. I thought that this duo were in their own lane, doing their own thing. Everything about their music was authentic to me. That continued on their next four albums and on their double Christmas album they released last year. And I know the duo's forthcoming sixth album will also embody those qualities.
After I listened to their album a few times, I followed the duo on all of their social media accounts. I noticed that they were regularly interacting with their fans, especially on Twitter (now X) at the time. They were replying to tweets, liking tweets, and even retweeting tweets. When I found out that Dan (the majority of the time) was the the one who controlled their social media accounts (and still does to this day!), it truly showed me that the guys wanted to be authentic, honest, and open with their fans. They truly cared about us, the people who are supporting them. This part of my relationship with them meant and still means a lot to me to this day. I will never take for granted any of the social media interactions I have had with them over the years and the interactions I will have them as time goes on. I am incredibly grateful that they take time out of their busy schedules to interact with their fans.
Some artists or celebrities might seem nice on social media, but when you meet them in person, they might have a different persona and not be the person you thought they are. Thankfully, I have not had an experience like that before. With Dan + Shay, they are the same human beings and artists on social media that they are in person. To me, the duo are hands down the most caring, genuine, kind, humble, sweet artists I have ever met (twice in person so far and on social media). From their genuine music that I listen to every day, to the interactions I have had with them on social media over the years and continue to have with them, the beautiful bouquet of flowers they surprised me with on Valentine's Day in 2015 and another surprise I got from them in 2021 (stay tuned for details on that in a separate post!), to watching them pour their hearts and souls on the stage and really appreciating every moment at each concert I have attended, the unforgettable meet + greets I have had with them so far, and countless other things that will come up in future posts, I could not think of or ask for two better human beings and artists to continue to support on a daily basis! Here's to another 11 years and counting of me being a Dan + Shay fan!
Dan + Shay met on December 7, 2012, they released their first single "19 You + Me" to country radio on October 14, 2013, and once country award show season started in April, 2014, the duo received their first nomination for Vocal Duo of the Year at the Academy Of Country Music Awards, but did not take home the trophy.
The duo had been nominated for multiple awards at countless country and all-genre award shows between 2014 and 2018, but had never won. While they were and are always winners to me no matter what happens, it still blew my mind that they had gone four years without winning any awards, especially at the fan-voted ceremonies. Between this time period, Florida Georgia Line were the top duo in country music and they racked up awards in several categories, including the duo one at most of the TV broadcasted award shows.
That all changed on June 6, 2018 when Dan + Shay won the Duo Video of the Year belt buckle trophy for their "Tequila" music video at the Country Music Television Music Awards (CMT Music Awards), a fan-voted ceremony. The guys could not believe that they won. Shay Mooney gave his speech first.
"Wow, I'm shaking right now", Mooney said. "Thank you guys so much, but I just want to thank God for country music. Man, this is absolutely amazing. I want to thank my wife, I want to thank my baby Asher who's home right now, my family for putting up with so much bad music before Dan + Shay happened."
Dan Smyers followed with his speech, He thanked his wife, people at CMT, and their friend Patrick Tracy. Stay tuned for future posts about Tracy. He has done a lot of creative work for the duo over the years.
"My heart is literally beating out of my chest right now", Smyers said. "Thank to our beautiful wives, my beautiful wife Abby, CMT, Leslie Fram, Stacy Cato, John, thank you guys so much for giving us this opportunity.
He went on to honor their friend Patrick Tracy, who directed the "Tequila" music video. Stay tuned for a future post with my commentary on that clip.
"We want to dedicate this award to one of our best friends in the entire world, Patrick Tracy, for directing this video", Smyers said. "Pat, you said that you're in section 118. We moved to Nashville to chase this dream together about 10 years ago and we finally got one buddy. I love you." He finished his thank you list and the duo left the stage.
After winning their first award, the duo posted a picture of themselves smiling while holding their belt buckle trophies on Instagram on June 7. They mentioned their fans to kick off the caption. "We won our first award!", the duo said. "First and foremost, it is so fitting that our first win would be a fan voted award. Our fans have been by our side since DAY ONE, and we've felt like winners all along because of that. Thank you for believing in this music, and inspiring us to follow our dream."
The caption continued and can be viewed by clicking on the link below my Instagram screenshot at the end of this post.
I remember voting many times for them daily during the voting period to make sure that Dan + Shay won this award, and they did! I was very excited when their names were announced as the winners that night!
Smyers and Mooney have won numerous awards since then, including three coveted Grammy's. All of those wins will be highlighted in separate posts in the coming months.
Below is the video of the duo's speeches at the CMT Music Awards courtesy of CMT's YouTube Channel as well as a screenshot of their Instagram post the following day. Enjoy!
When I heard Dan + Shay's debut album Where It All Began for the first time, all of the songs were ear candy to me, the songwriting was very colorful and descriptive, and the production on each song was very unique.
To me, "Can't Say No", the fifth track off the project, fits all three of the categories I mentioned above. It is about being with a girl and not wanting her to leave because he cannot get enough of her personality and other qualities.
However, the song begins with the male protagonist saying that it's 7 a.m. and that he wants to rest more. His partner, on the other hand, wants to be intimate with him. The duo sings, "It's way too early baby For you to be crawling all over me". Then things change and they they leave the house. Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney continue on with the lyrics in the first verse, "Next thing you know we're driving round She's dragging me all over town".
The refrain is packed with the colorful and descriptive lyrics I foreshadowed earlier. Smyers and Mooney sing about all of the things about the girl that her partner cannot get enough of, "She knows how to work them cut off things She knows how to get me to do about anything How to bat those eyes, swing them hips How to rock that cherry red lipstick She knows I can't say no".
By the second verse, the girl makes the guy speechless, as the duo sings, "Yeah baby that's about all I can say". There are more vibrant images in the last verse of the song, with the male telling the female "Whatever you want baby, as long as you kiss me that way" and "My heart of stone melts in her hands I'm getting used to changing plans Ain't no other girl in the world that can do me like that".
The chorus repeats again.
Then the song goes into the bridge. Smyers and Mooney sing about how the male character cannot endure the female characters smile and kiss. The bridge ends with the lyrics, "Yeah I could be out there with the boys, but as soon as I hear that little voice I'm gone Yeah I'm gone baby".
The song finishes with the chorus again followed by the outro.
"Can't Say No", written by Mooney, Smyers, Ben Hayslip, and Rhett Atkins, has a medium tempo with an acoustic guitar and drums (to name a couple of the instruments used) to move the story from start to finish.
In their "Story + Song" series on social media and YouTube, Smyers and Mooney talked about how they brought the song to life.
"It was actually a really fun write", Smyers said. "The song is super lighthearted and it kind of sounds, like, different than anything on the album." He went on to say that they had a (guitar) Flatpicker named Bryan Sutton, a percussionist who did interesting things on his drum kit, and additional instruments that gave the song its unique sound.
"It was cool, it really came together", Mooney said. "I mean, at the end, it really pulled itself together as a song and when we were writing it, it was just a blast."
He then touched on the songwriting process of the song. "We were just talking about how, you know, as a guy, you have that beautiful girl you're hanging out with, she asks you something with those beautiful eyes, and you're just like "how am I supposed to say no to that?", Mooney said.
I loved being able to re-visit this song today. It was fun to dive deeper into the lyrics, the production, and listening to the duo's seamless vocals.
Below is an audio video of the song followed by the "Song + Story" video of the duo talking about the song from their YouTube channel.
One of the many things I love about Dan + Shay is that many of their music videos have taken a different angle than what the song is actually about. That is the case with their "Nothin' Like You" music video, which was released on July 13, 2015 and directed by Dan Smyers' friend, Patrick Tracy.
The clip opens with the duo exiting a limousine and entering the red carpet at the 50th Academy Of Country Music Awards. Smyers and Shay Mooney are both dressed in black suits with a white shirt and black tie underneath, and are met by a slew of photographers who are ready to snap their pictures. The guys also engage with some fans who are on the sides of the carpet.
After all of the action, the next thing you know, the video fast forwards to the next morning. The duo are sitting at a booth in a cafe, still dressed in their award show attire. It must have been a long night, as the guys look very tired. The beginning of "Nothin' Like You" is playing in the background. Mooney says to Smyers, "Dude, what happened last night?" He replies, "I have no idea." The camera pans to a dog who is now sitting in between the duo. Smyers asks Mooney, "Where did you get that dog?" He replies, "That's a good question, Dan, but it looks like it's ours." The K-9 sees another dog outside the window and heads outside, as their love story adventure begins.
At the :35 mark of the video, the camera pans to someone sitting at the counter. It happens to be Smyers' girlfriend at the time, Abby Law. The two got married in 2017. Stay tuned for future posts about their relationship and wedding.
As the clip goes on, the shelter dogs who are already in the cafe start to get up and leave. Smyers and Mooney follow their lead, and as the chorus of the song starts, the duo are front and center running in slow motion as their names and the song title appear on the screen. The remainder of the video features both guys running around Nashville with the dogs from the cafe. They also see other dogs on the side of the road during their adventure. At the 1:19 mark, both Smyers and Mooney are seen running down a flight of stairs. As they get to the middle landing, they both appear winded, with Smyers taking off his suit jacket. They both head down the stairs and kept running with the dogs.
Smyers and Mooney eventually make it to a pond. They run through the water with some of the dogs. Then they are seen running through some tall grass and close to the end of the clip, both guys slide into the mud to cuddle and play with the dogs. They are covered in mud from head to toe.
The video finishes with the duo back at the cafe, Mooney asleep at the booth. Smyers wakes him up and says they need to head out. It turns out the run around town with all of the puppies was only a dream!
After the clip is done, Smyers and Mooney are on the set in their muddy outfits. Smyers talks about their day with the dogs and the reason they centered the video on dogs.
"We are covered in mud, we chased around some puppies, and we are here to raise awareness for animal rescue and adoption", Smyers said. "Thanks to the help of our friends at Nashville Canine and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue, we were able to get all of these puppies to have a fun day running around in the mud and the rain. So thanks to everyone who watched it, took part in it. Hope you can go out and give an animal a home today."
Below the pictures is the "Nothin' Like You" music video! Enjoy!
Screenshot from "Nothin' Like You" music video courtesy of Dan + Shay's YouTube Channel
Screenshot from "Nothin' Like You" music video courtesy of Dan + Shay's YouTube Channel
Dan + Shay have always created fun, happy, light content for their fans to view on social media and this video they posted on October 31, 2024 was no exception.
It featured Dan and his wife, Abby along with Shay, his wife, Hannah, and their three sons at the time, Asher, Ames, and Abram. The clip, which takes place on the staircase at Shay and Hannah's home, is set to Dan + Shay's song "It's Officially Christmas".
It starts with the crew dressed in their Mario Bros costumes for Halloween. Everyone is waving at the camera and smiling. Asher, Shay and Hannah's oldest son, gets up to change the camera and, the next thing you know, they are all magically transformed into their holiday apparel, with the parents in their Christmas sweaters and the kids in their Christmas pajamas! Everyone is waving at the camera again, and clapping and smiling, with Asher going crazy between Abby and Dan, Abram on Hannah's lap, and Ames behind Dan, his arms wrapped around Dan's neck. The amount of joy in this clip is endless!
"HAPPY HALLOWEEN but we are here to declare that IT'S OFFICIALLY CHRISTMAS", Dan + Shay wrote on their Instagram post. They caption went on to read, "The time has come to break out the double album and keep it on repeat (we're serious about this) until the end of the year."
Stay tuned for more wholesome video content from the past and when Dan + Shay post more in the future! Their videos are always very wholesome, positive, and filled with happiness and love!
Below is the video from Dan + Shay's Shorts page on their YouTube Channel! Enjoy!
Video courtesy of Dan + Shay's Shorts page on their YouTube Channel
Dan + Shay posted a video titled "The Drive" on July 9, 2023 via their YouTube Channel and social media accounts. The duo talked about what they had gone through during "The (Arena) Tour" in 2021, how shortly after it finished, that they had not talked for four months, and the major conversation that they had in March, 2022 to decide if they wanted to stop making music or come back together and start over with a fresh slate.
When I watched this video initially, my heart sank because I could not imagine Dan + Shay ever breaking up. I got emotional today when I watched it again for the first time in months. It was hard to picture what they had both been through, personally and professionally. Prior to this and even at the time, I always thought both members of the duo were always happy with life and their music careers, but as a fan, you do not know everything that is going on behind the scenes.
Both of the guys were very honest, open, raw, and real in the video, revealing information about what they went through and how they felt during this time period. I thought a lot of what they said was important and wanted to include as many quotes as possible in this post.
"That was like in the lowest low of my entire life", Dan Smyers said. He went on to say that he was at the point where he thought that he did not want to be in the music business anymore.
Shay Mooney talked about how his relationship with Smyers did not feel normal during "The (Arena) Tour".
"I could, I could feel the separation," Mooney said. "There was, there was little things between you and I that we never talked about. It was affecting everything, not just our band."
Mooney went on to reveal specific details about how he struggled during "The (Arena) Tour" and afterward.
"I think about all of those things though that, you know, that we did, and all of the decisions that I made, and of course I wish that I would've been more present, you know, I wish I would've hung out with you (Smyers) more", Mooney said.
He went on to talk more about how all of the negativity he felt at that point.
"I was just in this very feeling sorry for myself place and not wanting to take responsibility for anything', Mooney said. I think that's a lot of the reason why I was unhappy, you know, during our arena tour. Like, we'd built this thing up in our head, and I was hanging so much of my happiness on the success of that arena tour. And even when it was successful, I got to that show and then we would leave, like, mad about something stupid. And it was because we put so much weight on that moment that when it was over, what, what a downer. Especially at that point, I was, I was drinking a lot, so those highs became really high and the lows became really, really low."
Smyers responded and talked about why he and Mooney felt separated at the time.
"We just weren't working on it", Smyers said. "We let things get in the way, we let things fly out the window and man, that moment when we sat down and just talked it out, I feel like was so healthy. That night was like, that night changed it all."
"And I feel like that was such a big turning point", Mooney revealed. "It was us saying to each other, like, I'm willing to fight for this."
Rewind back to that night in March, 2022. Both members of the duo met to make a decision on what their futures looked like. Smyers asked Mooney if they wanted to be done as a duo after having a great time making music together for a decade or if they wanted to begin a new chapter writing songs.
I am very happy that they had a long conversation to work things out and continue to make music. Their Bigger Houses album that came out of all of this is by far my favorite body of work so far from them.
"I feel like this was the kind of the first time, like after after the Arena Tour, after COVID, that we were able to, like, step back and just assess," Smyers said. "You know, I had no balance before. It was completely one-sided. I was ignoring my marriage, I was ignoring all of my friends, that I completely burnt myself out, I entirely burnt myself out."
Mooney said that he went through similar things struggling with his marriage, and talked about other things that went through his mind during that time.
"For me, we didn't ever take time to be able to appreciate winning a Grammy or all these things because it was just happening so fast", Mooney said.
I am very glad that when the duo had their conversation, that they were also able to slow down and reflect on a lot of topics.
After the conversation, when Dan + Shay started writing songs together again, Smyers reflected on the experience.
"The thing that filled my cup the most was being in a room with you making music together and one of the most important things that's ever happened in my life is Dan + Shay", Smyers said.
When it came to the duo's decision to get back together in a room to write songs together, they talked about how their relationship was in the best place it has ever been, and most likely still is based on their social media posts in 2024 and now in 2025.
"I can feel the closeness of our relationship and our friendship when I listen back to the music", Smyers said. "We are by far, a million times, the closest we've ever been for so many reasons, but because we worked at it. That makes what we're doing now infinitely sustainable. I could do this the rest of my life with you."
Mooney responded and talked about how much their music means to their fans.
"We love this band; this has been our life", Mooney said. "It matters and it matters to people. We have a responsibility and we owe it to them."
Whether they had decided to stop the duo and not make music together anymore or they decided to start out fresh and make new music together, I would have respected their decision either way. At the end of the day, I want them to be happy.
I am very happy that Dan + Shay truly worked on themselves personally and professionally. I could tell that their friendship had strengthened when I listened to their fifth album for the first time last September. It felt like I was listening to their music for the first time again.
Below is the honest, raw, real video from Dan + Shay's YouTube Channel.
