Blake Shelton‘s best days of his career might be ahead of him. The 48-year-old has a Top 25 hit with “Texas,” his brand-new single, and the first release from his upcoming, still-untitled new album. The record will also mark a first for Shelton professionally, after he left Warner Music Nashville, the label he had been with since his eponymous freshman album was released in 2001, and signed with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville.

It was “Texas” that convinced Shelton, and his new record label, that he was ready to make another album.

“When I went in and played three or four things for BMG, they’re the ones that went, ‘Oh my God, this song,’” Shelton tells American Songwriter. “Then as I went around and played it for other friends and family and people that I work with. It was unanimous every time I played it for people. They were like, ‘Play that again.’”

“It was exactly what I was praying for throughout this process,” he adds, recalling one person who asked him to play it three times in a row. “I am to the point in my career where I’ve started to think people maybe a lot of times were going to wait to see what I say first.”

It’s been more than three years since Shelton released an album, with Body Language, which came out in May of 2021. His last No. 1 hit was his 2021 single, “Happy Anywhere,” his duet with his now-wife, Gwen Stefani. But for a man who at one time reigned at the time of the charts, “Texas” is giving him the reminder he needed that he still has music he wants to make.

“I feel like I want to make a big swing at this thing this time, and I hope that it’s as right as it can be,” Shelton says. “We didn’t even have to have those conversations with ‘Texas.’ It was just, ‘Oh my God, we’re doing this.’”

“Texas,” written by Johnny Clawson, Kyle Sturrock, Josh Dorr and Lalo Guzman, reminded Shelton of a song by one of his biggest musical idols: Ronnie Milsap.

“It kind of walks a line that’s a little bit of a ‘Stranger In My House’ or something like that,” Shelton says. “It’s kind of got this haunting thing about it, but you can also jam out and rock out to it at the same time.”

When the people at his new label fell in love with “Texas” as much as he did, Shelton knew he was at the cusp of what could be the most exciting chapter of his musical career.

“I knew I loved the song, but I don’t record songs that I don’t love,” Shelton acknowledges. “So that was the easy part to, know that I loved it. I needed to know what other people thought about it before I was willing to say, ‘Let’s come with it first.’ I haven’t done this in a long time, and I wanted it to have an impact.”

Ironically, Shelton might not have even considered releasing more music if not for Post Malone. It was when the rapper-turned-country-singer asked Shelton to sing with him on “Pour Me a Drink,” from Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion album, when the Grand Ole Opry member realized he wasn’t done making music.

“I really credit Post Malone for this new energy that I have because I was kind of just complacent and not in any hurry,” Shelton tells People. “Then that kid came along and asked me to sing on his song with him. It took off and was a big hit this summer, and it reminded me like, ‘Hey, get off your a–! This may be your last chance to really take a big swing at this thing.’ So here I am.”

“Texas” set a new career record for Shelton when it was released, with the most first-week adds at radio ever in his career. Find the song and all of Shelton’s music and upcoming shows, including his Las Vegas residency, at  BlakeShelton.com.

Photo Credit: Robby Klein