Kenny Chesney is no stranger to a massive crowd, having performed dozens if not hundreds of stadium shows over his decades-long career. While some people couldn’t even begin to process the idea of being on stage in front of tens of thousands, for Chesney, that’s where he thrives.
“I know this sounds crazy, but to be in front of 60,000 people on stage, that is where I feel the most comfortable in my life,” the country star shared in a new interview with PEOPLE. “It truly is. Because when we’re up there for two hours, nobody can mess with me or the band. It’s just us giving the audience everything we have and the audience giving everything back.”
He continued, “That is one of the most unbelievable feelings that I’ve ever felt in my life. It’s my drug of choice. I don’t regret giving my whole adult life to creating because… what a way to live. That’s what I’ve always done.” In fact, being on stage is Chesney’s favorite place to be. “I love what I do. I love making music,” he said, “and I love being on that stage, more than any place in the world.”
The new Country Music Hall of Fame member was speaking with the publication to support his new book, Heart Life Music, which examines his relationship with music and the journey of his career across the many years that Chesney has been expressing himself through his craft and making memories with fans on stage. He has no plans to stop making those memories any time soon, sharing that it’s a very scheduled part of his life.
“I love creating. That’s what I’ve always done, so I don’t see [slowing down] in my near future,” he revealed. “My life is already so planned out. I know what I’m doing in 2027!”
Chesney will return to his favorite place, the stage, next year when he resumes his residency at Sphere in Las Vegas. He has shows scheduled for June 19, 20, 24, 26 and 27, and decided to return to Sin City after initially launching his residency with a series of shows this summer.
“You can’t truly understand until you start playing music with all the people there, feeling that energy and the way the visuals and the songs just consume people,” he said. “The more I watched the fans having this experience I’m sure they couldn’t imagine, the more ideas I had – both to reconfigure some of last year’s songs, and a few songs that seemed like they should get this immersive treatment – and wanted to do.”
Along with the shows themselves, fans who come to see Chesney at Sphere can also visit his Guitars, Tiki Bars and a Whole Lotta Love – the Kenny Chesney Fan Experience along with a designated Vibe Room for VIP package holders.
“I think there are so many ways for people to play this venue, but I feel pretty sure nobody has had more fun there, brought more joy – or that freewheeling Sandbar experience – than No Shoes Nation,” he said. “And wherever they sat, we could hear ‘em, too. So, if you didn’t get to see it, c’mon! And if you did, well, come live those songs again – because this isn’t something you get to do every single year!”
For more information on Kenny Chesney’s HEART LIFE MUSIC book and upcoming tour dates, visit his official website.
