Country music duo Dan + Shay experienced a near split at the peak of their careers due to communication breakdowns and interpersonal friction, members Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney disclosed recently.
"We had unhealthy dynamics between both of us because we process things a lot differently," Mooney explained on the "Artist Friendly" podcast. He added that a "communication stop" led to a point where their relationship became "really tough."
Mooney recalled a specific moment in 2021 where they had to decide whether to "ride off into the sunset and celebrate our accomplishments" or engage in "really hard conversations" to repair their partnership. The decision came as they were preparing to open for Kenny Chesney's tour.
Smyers described a meeting at his home as the "most pivotal critical moment in our entire career." He stated, "We're either going to say peace out to this thing or we're going to figure this out and get it right." The intensive discussion lasted until the early morning hours.
Mooney expressed concern that Smyers wasn't enjoying their success, noting his own desire for his bandmate to be happy. He later understood that Smyers was focused on specific technical details of performances, such as malfunctioning video walls, which caused him distress, while Mooney was less concerned with such issues.
"When we finally were like, 'Hey, you're not good at enjoying these things sometimes. I enjoy everything even when it's bad,'" Mooney said. "So if we can meet somewhere in the middle, we can make this beautiful thing."
Ultimately, they chose to continue as a duo after both apologized for their contributions to the rift. They also established a new practice of addressing issues as they arise, rather than letting them accumulate.
Dan + Shay rose to prominence in 2013 with their debut single "19 You + Me." Their subsequent hits include "Tequila," which earned them their first Grammy Award in 2019, followed by wins in 2020 and 2021 for "Speechless" and "10,000 Hours," respectively. The duo has won three consecutive Grammy Awards.