April 12, 2024: I sat back and listened to “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey for the first time. A newer artist in the country music scene, beginning to make a name for himself. Now, 369 days later, that same song has 1.2 billion plays on Spotify and was nominated for Song of the Year, Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance at the 2025 Grammys.
While that track remains his most-streamed by a wide margin, Shaboozey may have just released the next summer hit just a year later. On April 11, nearly a year to the day after releasing “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” he dropped “Blink Twice,” featuring Myles Smith.
Shaboozey did such a great job of subtly marketing the song that it went right under my nose, keeping it under wraps until March 28, when he officially announced the release date alongside the track’s first teaser.
The first hint actually came on March 13, when he titled his Instagram post, “Time flies so don’t blink twice … Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going Europe 25’.”
The song title was right there in plain sight, but I didn’t notice it. Smith also hinted at the release in the comments, posting a clock and hourglass emoji signifying the release was coming soon, but I looked right past it.
Shaboozey teammed up with Smith, who has been on a parallel path in the music world carving out his place in the industry. Smith has amassed 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify with tracks like “Stargazing,” “Nice to Meet You,” ‘My Home” and “Solo,” all of which surpassed 100 million streams.
His biggest song, “Stargazing,” has over 700 million streams and debuted at No. 77 just two weeks after its release. Smith recently won the BRIT Rising Star Award last month and appeared on the Hot 100 with “Stargazing,” which peaked at No. 19 and spent one week atop Pop Airplay.
Earlier this year, Smith teamed up with country star Lainey Wilson on a new version of “Nice to Meet You,” which reached No. 13 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs. It marked his first step entering the country music scene and it looks like he’s here to stay.
Together, Shaboozey and Smith crafted their beats to create a song that has been in constant rotation in my headphones since its release. Much like “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” “Blink Twice” features lyrics that are sure to get stuck in your head, while its upbeat tempo and playful tone make it perfect to listen to wherever you are.
After the year that Shaboozey has had — a No. 1 song, a Grammy performance and now performing at Coachella — the first verse of “Blink Twice” reflects the whirlwind of his rise.
“Living on the edge and finding out it’s kind of dull/ Realize I am somebody that I don’t know at all/ Oh God, would you tell me why I’m worn down to the bone/ Even though I’ve only seen half of the world, I’m coming home,” Shaboozey sings in the opening verse.
Shaboozey doesn’t want a rapid rise to fame to turn into a sinkhole and cause him to burnout. Though he has had all of the success as of late, he is now trying to find where he needs to go after “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
The chorus has Shaboozey looking to stay present and be true to himself. Shaboozey also tries to mention that there is no time to live an inauthentic life. “Oh me, oh my, would you look in my eyes?/ We laugh or cry just to feel alive/ Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh/ No time for living a lie/ Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh/ Time flies, so don’t blink twice.”
Smith’s contribution adds a layer of emotional depth to the track, reflecting on personal struggles and the desire to break free from patterns. His verse, “I’ve tried everything I thought that I may need /I’ve been trying to catch my breath since I was 17,” speaks to the universal experience of seeking fulfillment and the challenges that come with it.
“Blink Twice” is the latest track included in the deluxe edition of “Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going,” which was released on May 30, 2024. “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going: The Complete Edition” will be released on April 25 with four new songs, two solo songs and two featured songs. The new collaboration songs include Jelly Roll’s “Amen” and Sierra Ferell’s “Hail Mary,” while his two solo songs are titled “Fire And Gasoline” and “Chrome.”
The song may only be two minutes and 36 seconds, but it hooked me from the first second till the last, so don’t blink twice or you’ll miss listening to the next summer hit, “Blink Twice.”
