Dan + Shay deliver a heartfelt show of gratitude with their new song “Glad You Exist,” which was released on Friday. It’s the follow-up to their chart-topping hit “I Should Probably Goes to Bed” and latest from an upcoming project.
Built around a percussive acoustic guitar part that could have easily powered an early John Mayer hit, the breezy tune was written by Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney with Ryan Lewis, Jordan Reynolds, and Tayla Parx (whose songwriting credits include Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” and Khalid and Normani’s “Love Lies”). It doubles as both a Valentine’s message to someone whose devotion has weathered many bad decisions and a love letter to the fans who have stuck around through an entire season of no live performances.
“There’s a couple billion people in the world/And a million other places we could be, but you’re here with me,” Mooney sings, with Smyers’ soft harmonies leading into dizzying instrumental sections of vocal “oohs,” syncopated percussion, and electronic effects. It’s short even by country radio standards, clocking out short of the 2:30 mark.
“To us, ‘Glad You Exist’ is more than just a song,” the duo said in a statement. “It’s a message of gratitude and hope. A message to everyone in our lives: our fans, our friends, our families, to remind them all how grateful we are to be on the planet at the same time.”
Dan + Shay have also signed on to serve as advisors to coach Blake Shelton on NBC’s The Voice, as competitors get into the Battle Rounds on the show’s 20th season.