Gabby Barrett has a new album coming out, and it includes a song written by Luke Combs. The American Idol alum reveals that not only did Combs write a song, but he made sure it was given directly to her.
“I’m a big fan of his,” Barrett says on Lon Helton’s Country Countdown USA. “He pitched me a song not too long ago. As soon as I heard it, I was like it really strikes a chord with me. I’m definitely gonna put it on my next album coming out later this year. He was very adamant about the song and me recording it. I think it’s an awesome song, and it’s coming out this year.”
Barrett’s freshman Goldmine album came out in 2020. While she hasn’t revealed many details about her sophomore project, she does hint that it will likely include a duet with her husband, Cade Foehner, whom she met when they were both competing on Idol.
“Probably, there’s a good chance,” she says of including a duet with Foehner. “There have been a lot of requests for that. Maybe on album two this year. You never know. I’ll let you know!”
Combs isn’t the only country music superstar who has been a supporter of Barrett. The mother of two reveals fellow American Idol alum Carrie Underwood has also been supportive of her, and offered to help however she could.
“She had given me her phone number and told me to call if I need anything,” Barrett recalls. “I remember one day I was pulled over on the side of the road and called her phone, and asked ‘How did you keep things rolling after Idol?’ She gave me good advice about working all the time, and that’s what I did.”
Barrett came in third on American Idol in 2018. She released “I Hope” in 2019, which quickly went multi-platinum, and made her the first female artist to have a No. 1 hit on the Country Airplay chart with her debut single. The sudden success was a lot for her to absorb at first, not that she was complaining.
“It’s overwhelming but in the best way,” Barrett told Entertainment Tonight. “This is one of those things where it’s hard to put into words because it doesn’t really feel real. When you work for so long towards something and it actually happens, it’s hard for me to switch gears because I’ve just been in the mode of trying to get to these places, getting on the award, and getting number one songs. Now that you’re actually at the pit stop, ‘We’re here, we’re making a stop.’ It’s like ‘Whoa!’ It’s really cool.”
Barrett’s latest single, “Pick Me Up,” from Goldmine is currently in the Top 10. Find music and tour dates at GabbyBarrett.com