The Tennessean (Aug. 12th 2019)

Blake Shelton reveals 'Hell Right,' his new hard-partying duet with Trace Adkins

Cousins.

That’s how Blake Shelton likens his new single “Hell Right” to his recent multi-week No. 1 smash “God’s Country.” The songs are different. “God’s Country” brings a weighty lyric that extols a spiritual connection to the Lord and land. Shelton describes “Hell Right,” which features his friend and fellow country singer Trace Adkins, as “silly and goofy.” 

“It’s rooted from the same place that ‘God’s Country’ is and I love that about it,” Shelton said. “It’s not coming from chasing any sound. It’s what feels right to me right now. I think ‘Hell Right’ is going to take what we started with ‘God’s Country’ and take it to the next level.”

“God’s Country” is Shelton’s 26th No. 1 song – and one of the biggest hits of his career. Penned by Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt and Devin Dawson, “God’s Country" sat atop Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for seven weeks and reached an airplay audience of more than 630 million people.

Hardy also co-wrote “Hell Right,” this time alongside David Garcia and Brett Tyler. The song about two guys and two girls making weekend plans has spoken word verses in the style of Shelton’s hit “Boys 'Round Here.” Shelton and Adkins take turns with the lines building into an anthemic chorus that seems tailored to whip an arena – or stadium – of fans into a frenzy.

“You can go about it two ways,” Shelton said. “You can raise hell, or you can raise hell right. To me, that means you can set off a bottle rocket, or you can have a fireworks show. There’s always a next level of things.”

The song’s release comes near the 10th anniversary of Shelton and Adkins’ first hit “Hillbilly Bone.” But, Shelton wasn’t thinking about that when he asked Adkins to jump on the song.

“I wanted him on this record because I knew there was a story to this song, but there was also a personality to the story that he could help amplify and take it to the next level,” Shelton explained. “Trace is not only one of my best friends in the world that I would do anything for, he’s also one of my favorite artists in the world and one of the most unique sounding singers that has come through Nashville in the last 30 years. He brings a personality to his recordings that can’t be copied."

“God’s Country” and “Hell Right” are from Shelton's forthcoming project, but he isn’t sure – or isn’t saying – what it is or when fans can expect it. He’s enjoying the flexibility that comes with not recording to hit a deadline.

“At this point in my life and my career, I’m just making records I want to make with no apologies, with no rhyme or reason, and I’ve been making them with the people I want to make them with,” he said. “I’m just doing what I want to do. I’m not chasing anything. I’m still singing to the people who are somewhere between Los Angeles and New York City, and hopefully, the people in those metropolises can relate to my music, too.”