In a YouTube video titled "Dan + Shay - Introducing Dan + Shay (Radio Tour EPK)" posted on their channel on December 15, 2016, fans got a glimpse of how the duo met, the connection they made right off the bat, and which artists influenced them to write country music. Warner Music Nashville President and CEO, John Esposito and Senior Vice President of Artist & Repertoire/ Producer, Scott Hendricks also both sat down to talk about their thoughts about the duo and their relationship with them from the start.
"Me and Dan just really hit it off and we ended up writing the next day", Mooney said in the radio tour introduction video.
When I first heard the duo's debut Where It All Began album in March, 2014, I felt like I was listening to two guys who had been singing together for quite some time. Their vocals were tight, the production was fresh and different, and the lyrics told solid stories. I could tell that they wrote these songs from their own experiences on that first listen. That is how incredible they were as musicians, songwriters, and artists.
The magic that I felt between them in March, 2014, Smyers and Mooney also felt from the moment they met on December 7, 2013 and into 2014 as they continued making music together.
"When we got in the room together, it was just like instantaneous magic," Smyers mentioned. "We just knew that whenever we started writing, that there was a chemistry there."
The lead vocalist of the duo went on to talk about how they wrote song after song.
"We wrote sometimes two and three times a day," Mooney recalled. "It was crazy. We kind of got on a roll."
Scott Hendricks, Senior Vice President of Artist & Repertoire and Producer at Warner Music Nashville recalled how talented hard-working and talented the duo are.
"I don't recall ever seeing two writers churn out so many great songs in such a short amount of time, it's dumbfounding," Hendricks said. "They're on a roll. There's something very, very special going on between them, right?"
Smyers went on to talk more about this and why he felt like their debut album would make a connection with the listener.
"So, I think something that's super special about us is together we wrote all the songs on our album," Smyers said. "I think that gives the album kind of an honest feel."
Mooney then echoed the other half of the duo's statement.
When we do write those songs, a lot of times they're personal experiences," Mooney said. "And to sing something that you wrote that's true is an unbelievable feeling."
John Esposito, Warner Music Nashville President & CEO, talked about his connection with the duo and the passion that they brought to their craft early on.
"I really like these kids a lot on so many levels," Esposito said. "They make me smile, they come in with such energy and enthusiasm, it's insane."
The duo made a personal connection with me on social media right away and later on at my first concert of theirs. Hendricks felt the same way about Smyers and Mooney when he met them.
"They're just great guys," Hendricks said. "I already call them my friends."
When it comes to the music genres that influenced the duo, they both had country music in common.
"It's just, music has always been a huge influence on my life, especially, you know, gospel and country music," Mooney said in the video. "Rascal Flatts was a huge influence."
The producer and harmonist of the duo was inspired by a different country artist initially.
"I think the first country artist I got into was Kenny Chesney," Smyers said. "I heard the song "I Go Back" and I couldn't believe the lyrical content, how it just took me somewhere, and it just made me feel something, and ever since then I've been listening to country music."
Their debut album has 12 tracks on it and while the duo was still new, Esposito wanted to do something he does not do often with artists who are just starting out.
"I rarely make the decision to get a record out as fast as we are with Dan + Shay because we need time to develop," Esposito said. "They already have 18 number one records that can be recorded in their demos, at least."
Hendricks went on to talk more about his relationship with the duo and why they are special.
"Working with them as a co-producer is a real honor," Hendricks said. "They have a unique system of how they go about doing it, and all's I'm trying to do is help them get better."
Below is the video that includes Mooney, Smyers, Esposito, and Hendricks backed to some of the duo's songs from their debut album and footage from the the studio and beyond. You can hear more about what Smyers had to say about Mooney's insane vocals and why he thinks they work so well together in the last section of the video! Enjoy!
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