After reminding the country music community of how great they really are with a stellar performance at CMA Fest 2023 last month, Dan + Shay fans can look forward to new music, as the iconic duo launches a new era, one that begins with a candid conversation.
Yesterday (July 9), Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney released a heartfelt video called “The Drive,” where they drive together and speak about the struggles that they have faced the last few years.
Smyers says at the beginning of the video, “I was in the lowest low of my entire life, came off the road, and I was like, man, I f**cking hate music. I’m ready to quit.”
Mooney agrees by saying, “There was little things between you and I that we never talked about and it was affecting everything,” including their marriages.
The video notes that Smyers and Mooney met in March 2022 to discuss the future of the band, after not speaking for four months.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 08: (L-R) Shay Mooney and Dan Smyers of Dan + Shay perform onstage during night 1 of the 50th CMA Fest at Nissan Stadium on June 08, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for CMA)
The turning point in the video comes after the halfway point, as they agree that their love for their band is what has made them stay.
Smyers says to Mooney, “The thing that filled my cup the most was being in a room with you, making music together, and one of the most important things that has ever happened in my life is Dan + Shay.”
Mooney continues, “We found that joy that we were talking about. It started out of a very genuine place, where you and I sat down with acoustic guitars, we just genuinely wanted to hang out with each other, we wanted to hang out and it was like writing a song was just our hanging out.”
Hearing about Dan + Shay’s growth and their friendship in this video is moving. Stay tuned for new music from this beloved country duo and let us know if you’re excited to hear what they’ve been working on by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecretscountry.
You can watch Dan + Shay’s full “The Drive” video below.