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.
No comments:
Post a Comment