Something “lit a fire” under him.
Blake Shelton revealed that a fellow musician inspired him to record new music—and it wasn’t his wife, Gwen Stefani. During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the country music star explained how he came to release For Recreational Use Only, which dropped May 9 and is his first studio album in four years.
Shelton credited pal Post Malone, with whom he collaborated on Malone’s 2024 single, “Pour Me a Drink,” for the kick in the pants he needed.
“Post Malone kind of got me, a fire lit under me,” Shelton told Fallon in the May 13 interview. “You know, it’s been four years since I put out a record… And just being around him, you can’t be around that guy without having a good time. He’s just so excited about everything.”
“I was like, ‘Man, what am I doing? I need to make a record.’ He had me fired up again,” Shelton added of the “I Had Some Help” singer.
Shelton, who performed his new single “Texas” on the NBC late-night show, previously told People magazine that working for 23 seasons on the reality competition The Voice left him feeling burned out.
“It took about a year before I even was open to the idea of, ‘What’s next?'” the country star said of his 2023 exit from the TV talent competition.
Once Shelton collaborated with Malone on “Pour Me a Drink,” the song’s success prompted him to get back into the studio to record his long-awaited 13th album.
In early May, Shelton posted to Instagram to thank fans for making the first single on his new album a number one hit. “THANK YOU country radio, the fans, everyone who was part of TEXAS, & everyone who has supported me over the years!!!!!! ‘Texas’ marks my 30th #1 as an artist. 30 is a lot of anything, and to have 30 number one songs is unbelievable. I’m really trying to take it all in. THANK YOU!!!” the singer wrote.
