Dan + Shay is one of the hottest duos in country music. The act, made up of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, had experienced a particularly successful run between 2018 and 2021, where they took home three consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. During those three years, they also produced some of their biggest hits like “Tequila,” “Speechless,” “All To Myself,” “Glad You Exist,” “10,000 Hours” with Justin Bieber, and more.
But, despite their strong track record, it may come as a surprise to folks that in March of 2022, after not speaking for four months, Dan + Shay had considered quitting music altogether.
Detailed Their Struggles
The pair opened up about their recent struggles and potential breakup in a brand new raw video titled “The Drive,” which finds them driving around scenic wooded areas and getting candid with their more than 1.1M followers on Instagram about a conversation they had post-tour that would end up changing the direction of their band’s future.
Reflecting on the difficult chapter that affected both their personal and professional lives, Smyers began, “I was like in the lowest low of my entire life. I came off the road and was like, ‘Man. I fuc–ing hate music. I’m ready to quit.”
That time off the road that Smyers is referring to was the conclusion of Dan + Shay’s (Arena) Tour, which was delayed due to the pandemic, but wrapped in December of 2021. Mooney addressed that during that time, he was wrapped up in the success of the tour and shared regrets of not living life in the moment.
“I wish I would’ve been more present at the moment. Wish I would’ve hung out with you more often….,” Mooney tells Smyers. “I think that’s a lot of the reason why I was unhappy during our (Arena) tour, was I was hanging my happiness on the success of our (Arena) tour, and even when it was successful, I got to that show, and we would leave mad about something stupid, and it was because we put so much weight on that moment.”
Reflected On Their Success
On top of that, the pair realized they hadn’t taken the opportunity to slow down and process the milestones that they had made.
“I feel like this was kind of the first time, after the (Arena) Tour, after COVID, that we were able to step back and just assess,” Smyers remembered before Mooney jumped in with: “For me, we didn’t ever take time to be able to appreciate winning a Grammy, or these things because it was just happening so fast.”
Aside from not soaking in the highs that the band was experiencing, Smyers also recalled how the duo’s hectic schedule kept him away from the most important people in his life.
“You live life, things happen, life gets in the way,” he said. “It was completely one-sided. I was ignoring my marriage [and] I was ignoring all of my friends, and I completely burned myself out, entirely burned myself out.”
“I could feel the separation, and I think there were little things between you that we never talked about, and it was affecting everything,” Mooney added. “And, not just our band, our marriages, and I was just like in a really dark place.”
The Turning Point
And while Dan + Shay went through the process of almost disbanding, it was checking in with each other and sitting down and talking things through that proved a turning point beneficial for their music.
“That moment, when we sat down and just talked it out, I feel like it was so healthy. That night changed it all,” Smyers said.
“It changed everything,” Mooney agreed. “I feel like that was a big turning point. It was us saying to each other, like, ‘Look. I’m willing to fight for this.”
After realizing their communication needed work, both Mooney and Smyers were able to focus on why they began Dan + Shay in the first place.
What’s Next For Dan + Shay?
“I think when my cup is at its fullest was being in a room with you,” Smyers told Mooney. “Making music together. And, one of the most important things that ever happened in my life was Dan + Shay.”
Although Dan + Shay don’t know what the future holds, they are continuing to plan next steps with new music on the horizon. In 2024, the two will also take on the role of new coaches on Season 25’s The Voice.
Additionally, the award-winning duo is gearing up to release brand-new music, which arrives on July 14, 2023.
