Dan + Shay’s long-awaited 5th studio album, Bigger Houses, is here and it goes far beyond just new music. According to the duo, each track on the new album, is a direct reflection on the pair’s new-found perspective on life, music, and the things that matter most to them.
LISTEN NOW: Dan + Shay say Bigger Houses is their ‘Best album yet’
“We’re in this really cool place in our life right now, where I think we’ve redefined what we see success as and we’ve kind of thought of this project as we’re going to make the album that we want to make and speak from our heart, sing what we know and not try to be anything other than just unapologetically Dan + Shay,” the duo’s Shay Mooney told Audacy’s Katie Neal of the release.
The clear vision didn’t come easy for the pair, who recently revealed they nearly called it quits following their 2021 arena tour. They shared their experience in a candid YouTube video where they discussed the darkness they faced individually and as a band just two years ago, and what pulled them through.
"I was in the lowest low of my entire life," Dan Smyers recalled. "Came off the road and I was like, 'Man, I f***ing hate music. I'm ready to quit.'"
Shay Mooney boldly added, “I could feel the separation and I think there was little things between you and I that we never talked about and it was affecting everything. Not just our band — our marriages, everything. I was in a really dark place."
Hitting rock bottom ultimately helped the duo rise together with a new-found appreciation, spirit and motivation for music and the result of it all glows in Bigger Houses.
“It’s definitely our best yet. We’re so proud of it and I’m just so excited to get this out there to the people,” Dan Smyers shared of the project, available now.
“I can speak for both of us when I say this is the most fun we’ve had making an album,” Shay Mooney added. “This is the first time we’ve really been able to take our time and try to make a cohesive project and really dive all the way in.”
While the creation of this album may have looked different for the pair, we have no doubts the success will look similar to their impressive past as their music always shoots to the top of the Country charts upon release. While D+S admit chart success is always welcomed, it isn’t the main focus for this era of their music.
“Getting it out into the world is going to be the win and everything beyond that is just a bonus,” said Dan.
LISTEN NOW: Dan + Shay talk redefining their success with Audacy's Rob + Holly
Added Shay, “No matter what the music does, it’s successful because I got to get into the studio with my best friend and make music and not just music that we had to throw together. We made it because it came from our hearts and we put it together and it meant something. That was the success, and what it does after that is the cherry on top.”
Bigger Houses is available now, stream it here.