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In the world of music, where partnerships can sometimes be fleeting, Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay have proven that their bond goes beyond just musical collaboration. The duo recently opened up about a difficult period in their relationship, where they found themselves not speaking for four months. However, they overcame the challenges and are now stronger than ever, ready to release their highly anticipated album, “Bigger Houses.”
During a recent appearance on the Today Show, Dan + Shay shared insights into the journey that led to their reunion. Shay Mooney expressed his excitement about the upcoming album, stating, “This is a brand-new breath of fresh air. Dan and I have been through a lot in the last ten years, and I feel like this is a new chapter for us, and I’ve never been more excited to put out music. There are songs that mean so much to us.”
“This is a brand-new breath of fresh air. Dan and I have been through a lot in the last ten years, and I feel like this is a new chapter for us, and I’ve never been more excited to put out music. There are songs that mean so much to us.”
The distance that emerged between them was unexpected. Neither Dan Smyers nor Shay Mooney planned to let so much time lapse without communication. After completing their postponed “The (Arena) Tour,” with no immediate tour plans or music projects on the horizon, they inadvertently went their separate ways, unsure about the future of Dan + Shay.
Acknowledging the unique challenges of being a duo, Dan Smyers reflected, “Being in a duo is the toughest configuration. We always say it. There are two people. Everything’s 50-50. When you’re in a trio, there’s always a tiebreaker. When you’re in a group, it’s chaos. But in a duo, you have to go out of your way to work on it, like a marriage. Time gets in the way, and if you’re not actively working on it, things can go by the wayside.”
Being in a duo is the toughest configuration. We always say it. There are two people. Everything’s 50-50. When you’re in a trio, there’s always a tiebreaker. When you’re in a group, it’s chaos. But in a duo, you have to go out of your way to work on it, like a marriage. Time gets in the way, and if you’re not actively working on it, things can go by the wayside.”
Thankfully, the story didn’t end there. Smyers and Mooney reconnected and realized they still had a lot more music they wanted to create together. Describing the pivotal moment of their reunion, Smyers reminisced, “We just chose that one night. We’re like, ‘If we’re going to do this, owe it to our fans. Dan + Shay is always going to be a tattoo on somebody’s arm, the first dance at somebody’s wedding. We owe it to everybody to give it our best shot.’ We sat down, and we started writing songs, just hanging out like we used to when we first met. And that’s where the magic was, us writing songs on an acoustic guitar. We accidentally made the best album of our career.”
Excitement is building as the release of “Bigger Houses” approaches on September 15. Dan + Shay also performed the title track, “Bigger Houses,” for the first time on the Today Show, giving fans a taste of what’s to come. Their debut single from the album, “Save Me The Trouble,” is already making waves, enjoying a spot in the Top 40.
