Daily Dash Of Dan + Shay: Saturday Spotlight With Katie McKinney: My Question And Answer Session With Appreciative, Passionate, Concert-Going , Massive Michigan Fan

Here is my sixth Saturday Spotlight that I did via e-mail with my sweet, passionate (online) friend and genuine, appreciative, concert-going Dan + Shay fan, Katie McKinney from Detroit, Michigan. Over the years I have followed many of the duo's biggest fans on social media and Katie is one of them! She is very kind and sweet! We have both interacted with one another's social media posts and I have chatted with her intermittently through messaging. I have seen Katie from afar at some of the concerts I have been too, but we have not officially met in person yet. I hope this will happen at a future Dan + Shay show!

In this sixth session, you will learn about Katie's favorite Dan + Shay albums and songs, a cool interaction she had with the duo on Twitter (now X), what she would ask the duo if she got the opportunity to have dinner with them, what she thinks about their unconventional music videos, and so much more!

She also included 16 awesome pictures with the duo from over the years, the most recent from last year. I highly recommend that you read all about Katie's experiences as a fan in the questions and answers below! I also highly recommend that you browse all of the pictures of her one-of-a-kind experiences with Dan + Shay!

Please enjoy reading my fourth Dan + Shay Fan Spotlight with Katie McKinney!

Stacy (S): When did you become a fan of Dan + Shay? Was it in the beginning or later on in their careers? What was the first song of theirs that you heard on the radio? What was your first impression of hearing them on the radio and then getting to know them through social media?

Katie McKinney (KM): I first became a fan of Dan + Shay in early 2014. They were playing a concert called the Ten Man Jam in Detroit and I hadn't heard of them yet. Upon seeing the line-up, I looked them up and found "19 You + Me". It was the only recorded song of theirs available at the time. I liked it very much but didn't know much about them. Then came the concert. I was actually in the back of the venue in line to meet another artist when they first came on. They sang what I later learned was their song "Show You Off" and I couldn't believe what I heard. They sounded so amazing and truly captured my attention. I got done with the meet and greet and rushed back to the stage. I was in awe of their harmonies and Shay's voice. They did a meet and greet afterwards and that was the first time I met them. I remember telling them how excited I was for their debut album which they had announced was coming out on April 1st that year. The rest is history.

(S): How many times have you seen the duo in concert? What is your favorite venue that you have seen them play at? Tell me about a few of the concerts that stand out to you.

(KM): To be honest, I am not sure the exact number of times I have seen them in concert. Just a guess would be around 40-50 shows. I love seeing them in Michigan because they love playing here and it is obvious when you see them perform how much they enjoy it. One of my favorite shows was the third time I saw them. It was a free show at Central Michigan University. The energy in the crowd was absolutely insane. Everyone there was so impressed with D+S, including myself. This was the show that was like the nail in the coffin for me, I knew I would be a lifelong fan after that. Another really special show was at a local park. It was in 2015 and actually ended up getting rained out. But a bunch of fans were waiting outside their bus and they actually sang a song from the bus for us. It was awesome. I think it was "Can't Say No" if I remember correctly. Then after the storm died down, they stayed and met everyone who had a meet and greet that night. It was an incredible experience, especially considering the weather and circumstances. Since then, I have seen them in Michigan (of course) Canada, Illinois, New Jersey, Nashville, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

(S): How many times have you had the opportunity to meet Dan + Shay? What was the first meet + greet like? Did anything they say stick out to you that you still remember today? Tell me about a few of your other meet + greets with the guys that were special.

(KM): I am also unsure about the number of meet and greet opportunities I have had probably 20-30 opportunities I think. The first meet and greet was short and sweet at the Ten Man Jam. Then, I met them during a VIP pre-show when they opened for Hunter Hayes in Toledo, Ohio, and again after the show. They stayed after the show and met everyone in that arena who was interested. I could tell from that moment that they were gaining popularity already; such a cool experience. After that, I was fortunate to meet them at most shows I went to - either through VIP experiences, waiting around after shows, waiting by the buses, etc. One time in particular (in 2015) - my sister won the first ever "Bus Hang" that they did for a little while. That was the first time we really realized that D+S remembered us and it was really special to us. I have brought friends to meet them and also my mom. Everyone who meets them is always so impressed with what nice and kind people they are.

(S): Dan + Shay have a few unconventional music videos that don't follow the actual storyline of the song like "Tequila", "How Not To", and "Steal My Love". They used a completely different storyline from what the song is actually about. Please describe what you think about each of these videos and if you like the guys going outside the normal when it comes to music video concepts.

(KM): I think that having unconventional story lines is perfect for music videos. It is a great way to capture a new audience and also adds new depth and a new perspective to the lyrics. I really like how the "Tequila" music video feels like a mini movie. It's kind of epic in that way. One of my favorite music videos is "I Should Probably Go To Bed". I think it's so cool and fun. Breaking boundaries is something D+S have always been good at and I think their music videos are a reflection of that.

(S): What is the name of your local country radio station(s) that you listen to? Do they play Dan + Shay's songs often? Which songs do they play the most?

(KM): My local station is 99.5 WYCD. I don't listen to the radio as much now because I mainly use streaming services, but they did used to plan D+S very often. Nowadays, I am sure they still do, but I don't listen as much. They have always been great Dan + Shay supporters.

(S): If you had to pick your top two favorite Dan + Shay albums and top five overall songs (including from their Christmas album), what would they be? Tell me why those songs and the two albums overall connect with you.

(KM): My top two albums would be Where It All Began and Good Things. I love all of the albums, but if I had to narrow it down, I'll pick these two. Where It All Began is very special to me since it is "where it all began" (no pun intended lol). That was their only album out when I first started seeing them in shows, so it really is like a soundtrack to that period of time for me. It brought me so much joy and countless hours of some of the best times of my life. Seeing them sing those early songs live are memories I will truly never forget. Good Things is special to me because it was a comeback album for them after taking a bit of a break. I love the songs on that album and it has great vibes. I went to the album release concert in Nashville for Good Things and it was an incredible experience - I think that's one reason why it's so special to me. For my songs, I have to pick some early songs - "Show You Off" and "Stop Drop + Roll", then "Already Ready" from Obsessed, "Make or Break" from Dan + Shay, and "Irresponsible" from Good Things. All of these songs bring me back to the timeframe they were released and make me think of different Dan + Shay memories. I hold them all dear to my heart.

(S): Dan + Shay have been very active on social media over the years. Are there any special interactions/memories that you have had with them on social media that you would like to share?

(KM): I am grateful for every social media interaction I am lucky enough to experience. One of my favorites was on Twitter. In 2015, my friends made my sister and I a Dan + Shay cake for our birthday and I tweeted about it. D+S retweeted and told me "happy birthday" and it made me feel like I had the best birthday ever. That was one of the first social media interactions I had. There have been countless experiences since then, but that one stands out as really special. I have gotten videos from both Dan and Shay with messages for Merry Christmas, Happy Valentine's Day, etc. I never take them for granted and am so grateful each time. I will also give an honorable mention to when they followed me on Twitter. At the time, I felt SO cool, lol.

(S): If you had the opportunity to have dinner with Dan + Shay and spend quality time with them afterward, what questions would you ask them? What else would you talk about in a conversation with them?

(KM): Hmm, that's a good question. I don't think I would ask a ton of questions. I think I would just like to chat and reminisce about everything that has happened in their career over the years. Maybe I would ask how they felt about certain things that came up during our conversation. I would definitely ask about the inside scoop on upcoming music, though!

(S): Is there anything else you would like to add that I did not mention above?

(KM): I will just add that I have really appreciated all of the joy and fun experiences I have had in my life because of D+S. I have traveled to many cool places because of them and met some very amazing people. It's incredible that two people doing what they love can be so impactful on so many fans. I am looking forward to many more years of supporting them.