Blake Shelton’s latest album For Recreational Use Only is packed with songs that offer heartfelt stories and deeply personal songwriting—but one track holds extra special meaning. The country superstar has once again teamed up with his wife, Gwen Stefani, for a new duet titled “Hangin’ On.”
During an interview with TODAY, Shelton opened up about how much he enjoys making music with his wife. In fact, he admitted that it’s something he now considers essential to every record to come.
“I don’t feel like I want to make a record without a duet with Gwen on it anymore. She’s my favorite person to sing with,” he told the outlet.
Written by Greylan James, Sam Ellis and Lady A’s Charles Kelley, “Hangin’ On” offers a bittersweet, slow-burn melody that finds Shelton doing all the things he’s supposed to do to move on from a past relationship. The singer/songwriter’s character finally finds himself in a good place when he hears his ex is back in town and suddenly any progress he made is lost.
He sings, “I let go of any chance that you were comin’ back/ Like I was supposed to/ I let go of anything with any strings attached/ Like I had to/ Oh, I was finally in the clear, feelin’ good/ Out the house, out the woods/ Thought I was through with you/ Then out the blue…”
As the chorus comes to a head, Stefani’s powerful vocals come into play, intertwining with Shelton to continue painting the vivid details of their connection. They come to learn that their memories and emotions from their time together still hold a tight grip on both of them and their story might not be finished just yet.
“I hear you’re hangin’ on the other side of this town/ Somehow, that messes me up, wonder if that picture of us/ Is still hangin’ on that paisley wall in your room/ Or did you take it down? I shoulda let go by now/ But I keep hangin’ on to every word you said/ Like some old faded tee/ Wish I could take you off, but you keep hangin’ on to me,” they sing on the chorus.
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In another interview with TODAY, Shelton joked that even though they teamed up for a breakup song, it was “so fun” to sing together.
Stefani is most commonly considered a pop artist, while Shelton is firmly rooted in country music. Despite working in different genres, the two have found a way to seamlessly blend their influences to create a sound that’s uniquely theirs, as shown in “Hangin’ On.”
In fact, music is what brought them together in the first place. The pair met while working as coaches on The Voice in 2014 and eventually tied the knot in 2021 at Shelton’s Oklahoma ranch, where they currently reside.
While the couple has made plenty of on-stage appearances together to perform their growing catalog of duets like “Nobody But You,” “Happy Anywhere” and “You Make It Feel Like Christmas,” and “Purple Irises,” they have never performed alongside their kids. Following a recent Grand Ole Opry performance with Stefani, Shelton revealed that another dream is to eventually have her three sons, Kingston, Zuma, and Apollo, join them at the iconic venue.
“That would be a lot of fun. I know that that would be Gwen’s dream come true is to have, like, a family band or something like that,” he said.
Released on May 9, For Recreational Use Only marks Blake Shelton’s first studio record in almost four years and his highly anticipated debut under BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville.
The project contains 12 tracks that explore life’s ups and downs through genuine storytelling, heartfelt emotion, and addictive melodies. In addition to collaborating with Stefani, Shelton has also teamed up country legend John Anderson and longtime friend and tourmate Craig Morgan.
The release of his newest album comes hot on the heels of his sold-out Friends & Heroes Tour, which wrapped up in March.
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