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Dan + Shay Surprised a Crowd by Performing "Tequila" Totally Shirtless

Is it hot in here, or is it just thousands of N.D. concert attendees watching Dan + Shay?

By Jessica White

Dan + Shay, the powerhouse musical duo Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, will take The Voice to new heights as the first-ever Coaching duo in Season 25. But as they gear up for a spin in their customized double red chair, Dan + Shay have been touring all over the country, and they know how to give their fans what they want. 

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Because who doesn't want Dan + Shay to perform "Tequila" shirtless? That's what the North Dakota audience at West Fargo Red River Valley Fair was screaming as the headliners took the stage for an electrifying set on July 7. They surprised the crowd by delivering a steamy spin on their smash single. 

A Dan + Shay fan took to TikTok to dish details about the concert, revealing that after the crowd repeatedly screamed for the future Voice Coaches to take their shirts off, the duo made a deal with the fans. If the crowd could scream the lyrics to "Tequila" as loud as they could, they'd agree to continue the song shirtless. And boy, did the Fargo crowd deliver!

Shay Mooney and Dan Smyers of Dan + Shay at Day 1 of the CMA Fest held on June 8, 2023

Concert attendees sang along at the top of their lungs. Sure enough, Dan + Shay delivered on their promise, ditching their tops to complete their energizing set. The crowd exploded with appreciation while continuing to sing along to the nostalgic anthem. 

See Dan + Shay's shirtless performance of "Tequila"

"Tequila" was released in 2018 as the breakout single from Dan + Shay's self-titled album. The melancholic bop took the country-pop world by storm and has since become one of Dan + Shay's most beloved songs within their expansive portfolio, earning the country duo a Grammy in 2019. When asked what the inspiration was for the chart-topping track, the duo explained they wanted to create a breakup ballad with a light-hearted twist. 

"We were like, what would be a cool, nostalgic way to talk about tequila? People have nostalgic attachments to senses like smells and tastes and sounds, and tequila is one of those things," Dan + Shay told iHeartRadio in 2018. "Libations of any kind will take you back to a certain place [and] make you see certain things, and it's kind of a story like that. It's kind of a heartbreak song."

"It was really cool to be able to see this song transform into what it is," The Voice rookies explained. "We're just so proud of this, and we always want to better ourselves and try to put out better music for our fans. Every album and every single. So, I think that we've done that with this."

"We went in on the track, and it's one of my favorite vocals Shay's ever recorded," Smyers revealed. "It's super emotional. Played it for everybody, especially our wives, and they were like, 'Yeah, that's got to be the single.' We trust them. They're always right."

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