Dan + Shay’s Next Song Is About the Moment That Saved Their Band
Dan + Shay's current musical chapter has been marked by a period of personal growth and transformation. Last month, they revealed that they almost broke up in early 2022 — and that the ensuing conversations and rededication to each other and their music inspired the songs on their upcoming album, Bigger Houses.
This week, they're sharing a song that's particularly close to the heart of that experience. A new track called "Always Gonna Be" details the conversation that convinced them to stay together during that difficult time period.
"One of the most important things we talked about that night was our responsibility to our fans who have been with us through every high and low of the past 10 years," the duo shared on social media, posting a photo of a handwritten letter.
"Whether we decided to call it quits or dive headfirst into a new chapter, we felt that we owed it to our fans to make peace with the idea of Dan + Shay in our hearts," they went on to say. "No matter the outcome, the music we created together would live on forever, and we wanted to be able to celebrate that rather than look back in vain."
Then, when they thought deeply and specifically about the impact their songs have had on people, band mates Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney knew they had to stay together.
"The moment that it all clicked and we knew we had to keep going was when we reflected on what our music has meant to people," the recounted. "When you're running a million miles an hour, sometimes it's hard to see in real time, but right then it had never been more clear.
"We specifically said things like, 'Dan + Shay is always gonna be a tattoo on somebody's arm.' 'Dan + Shay is always gonna be a first dance at somebody's wedding,'" the statement went on to say. "We left that night with a fresh perspective on our career, and a genuine closeness in our relationship."
The very next day, Smyers and Mooney sat down to write "Always Gonna Be."
"It was the first song we wrote for the album, and will always be one of the most special," the band mates conclude in their post.
"Always Gonna Be" arrives Thursday (Aug. 3) at 11PM CT. It's the latest in a string of tracks Dan + Shay have dropped ahead of their new Bigger Houses album, following "Save Me the Trouble," "Heartbreak on the Map" and the title track, "Bigger Houses." Bigger Houses will arrive in full on Sept. 15.
