Gabby Barrett has joined forces with fellow American Idol alum, Colton Dixon on a reimagined, powerful duet version of his inspiring hit track “Build A Boat.”
Before teaming up with the multi-platinum country superstar, Dixon, a contemporary Christian singer-songwriter, saw his original recording of “Build A Boat” become the most successful song of his career thus far. The spiritually-driven track rose to the No. 1 spot on radio for 10 weeks and became the longest-running No. 1 Mediabase Christian AC song of 2022.
In a statement, Barrett, who has remained outspoken about her religious beliefs with her fans, shared her enthusiasm for the song and collaboration, saying, “I respect Colton’s creativity as an artist and was already a big fan of ‘Build A Boat’ before he reached out to collaborate. These lyrics really hit me, and it’s such a blessing to be a part of this new version and to be able to honor our Lord in this way.”
“I’m so honored to have a fellow American Idol alum, Gabby Barrett, join me in spreading the message of faith and perseverance through my song ‘Build A Boat’- what a great way to kick off the year!” Dixon, who competed on season 11 of American Idol in 2012, added of his duet partner.
“Build a Boat” is a powerful song about weathering the storm by holding onto faith in a higher power and letting go of any fear that might be standing in the way.
“I will build a boat in the sand where they say it never rains / I will stand up in faith, I’ll do anything it takes / With your wind in my sails, your love never fails or fades / I’ll build a boat in the desert place,” the two powerhouse singers unify their vocals throughout the chorus. “And when the flood and the water starts to rise, yeah / I’ll ride the storm ’cause I got you by my side / With your wind in my sails, your love never fails or fades / I’ll build a boat, so let it rain.”
With Barrett on the uplifting tune, it’s no question the song soars to new heights. She showcases her distinctive vocals, splitting verses Dixon, who shines with his soothing pipes. It’s a combination worthy of another round of chart-topping success.
Before releasing their version of “Build A Boat,” Barrett and Dixon shared a joint post on social media. The post featured a snippet of their duet, which dropped on Friday (Jan. 27).
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“‘Build A Boat’ featuring @gabbybarrett_will be available everywhere this Friday, January 27th! Pre-save now in bio,” they captioned on Instagram, inviting fans to keep an eye out for the uplifting release.
Perhaps Barrett will join Dixon on a live version of the song as he is gearing up to take the road for his headlining Build A Boat tour. The 35-city trek, featuring Jordan St. Cyr and special guests Apollo LTD, begins on March 10 in Bedford, New Hampshire.
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Meanwhile, Gabby Barrett recently teased she’s working on the follow-up to her debut album, Goldmine.
“Album #2 at work… 🥳😏,” she captioned a post on Instagram, adding that she’s working on new music, and open to more future collaborations. “What do you want to hear? Who do you want a duet with?”
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In addition to teasing the new album, Barrett teased a few details of the upcoming project, including a song Luke Combs wrote for the project and that a duet with her husband Cade Foehner may appear on the album.
This spring, Barrett will join fellow country star Kane Brown on the road as part of the upcoming leg of his Drunk or Dreaming Tour.
