Shaboozey had a big, big hit in 2024 with "A Bar Song (Tipsy)." The viral hit many call Shaboozey's breakout hit, but it actually came on the heels of a long list of songs the Virginia native had been releasing since "Jeff Gordon" came out in 2014.
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But it's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" that fans of all genres of music latched onto, teaching Shaboozey a powerful lesson in the process.
"I was almost self-sabotaging because everything needed to be very intentional, and it all needed to connect and be this grandiose thing," Shaboozey reflects to People. "And then my manager was just like, 'Hey, not everything has to be a set piece. Sometimes you've got to able to just be you.' And it's interesting, 'A Bar Song' is an example of just having fun in the studio."
Those words became a driving force for Shaboozey, forever changing how he looks at being an artist.
"I was just like, 'Man, I'm just driving myself insane overthinking,'" he remembers thinking. "'Let's just go in and make a fun song. I had this idea for a song today and I'm going to go make it.' It's a testament to just having fun in the studio and not thinking about it too much."
Shaboozey's Next Musical Chapter
Shaboozey definitely isn't a one-hit wonder. He recently released a new song, "Blink Twice," and has a Top 20 hit at country radio with "Good News." He was also nominated for two ACM Awards, both New Male Artist of the Year and Single of the Year, the latter for "A Bar Song (Tipsy)." It's all success that might not have happened without his breakout song, or his changed mindset.
"[Sometimes] I'm like, 'Man, I got to perform that song again.' And [people will] look at me and be like, 'You're going to be performing that song for the rest of your life, and honestly, you should be happy about it,'" Shaboozey acknowledges. "So I think the cool thing about that is feeling like I don't have that pressure anymore of being like, 'I need to make a hit song.'"
Shaboozey is grateful for his success so far. But he's even more excited about what might be coming next.
"I have so many ideas,' the 30-year-old hints. "Who knows what the next thing will be? This is when the fun begins."
