On June 20, 2025, Noah Cyrus dropped a striking duet with country icon Blake Shelton, titled “New Country,” marking a pivotal moment in her sophomore album, I Want My Loved Ones to Go With Me, set for release on July 11, 2025. This collaboration, blending Cyrus’s smoky vocals with Shelton’s seasoned twang, has captivated listeners and signaled her bold pivot to country music. As of 11:36 AM +07 on June 24, 2025, the track has ignited widespread excitement, with fans and critics alike praising its emotional depth and the seamless fusion of their styles. This partnership not only highlights Cyrus’s artistic evolution but also positions Shelton as a mentor bridging generations, making the duet a standout feature of an album rooted in Americana and personal healing.

The Birth of a Duet

The journey to “New Country” began with Cyrus’s growing affinity for country, evident in her 2024 Stagecoach performance of “Put the Hurt on Me” with Midland and her set at CMA Fest. Her decision to embrace the genre fully came to fruition with I Want My Loved Ones to Go With Me, co-produced with Mike Crossey and PJ Harding. The album, slated for release via RECORDS/Columbia, features collaborations with diverse artists, but the Shelton duet stands out as a deliberate nod to her Tennessee roots and her father Billy Ray Cyrus’s influence.

Cyrus revealed her inspiration in a crowd address, saying, “When I realized I was making a country record, it was just ‘Blake Shelton, Blake Shelton, Blake Shelton’—something kept telling me to get in touch with him.” This intuition led to Shelton, a 49-year-old veteran with 28 number-one hits, joining the project. Recorded in Nashville over two weeks in late May 2025, “New Country” emerged as a ballad about independence and change, with Cyrus’s initial acoustic verse giving way to Shelton’s harmonies. The track’s release, accompanied by a teaser on social media, has already garnered over 2 million streams, setting the stage for the album’s July 11 drop.

The Artists Behind the Music

Noah Cyrus, 25, brings a textured vocal style honed through her 2022 debut The Hardest Part. Her shift to country reflects a personal journey, influenced by her father’s legacy—most notably with “With You,” the first song Billy Ray ever wrote, included on the new album. Cyrus’s recent performances and her TikTok post wearing a Shelton trucker cap underscored her commitment, culminating in this duet. She describes the album as a “comforting, peaceful nostalgia,” aiming to heal through music that connects past and present.

Blake Shelton, meanwhile, adds his 25 years of country expertise. Known for The Voice and duets like “Nobody But You” with Gwen Stefani, Shelton’s involvement lends credibility to Cyrus’s transition. His response on Instagram—“Thanks for having me on this one buddy!!! Y’all go listen now!!!!”—reflects his enthusiasm. The pairing leverages Shelton’s mentorship role, honed through The Voice, and his recent shift to family life post-2023, making this a natural extension of his influence.

The Song’s Emotional and Musical Impact

“New Country” opens with a lone acoustic guitar, Cyrus’s voice carrying a verse about finding a “new place in life” and embracing change as a constant. Shelton’s entry adds a rich harmony, his baritone grounding the track with a classic country feel. The production, featuring pedal steel and banjo, mirrors the album’s Americana roots, creating a moody yet dynamic sound. Cyrus has called it a song about “walking on your own two feet,” a theme tied to her personal growth, while Shelton’s presence evokes the genre’s traditional resilience.

The duet’s release on June 20 coincided with a visualizer on YouTube, amplifying its reach. Fans on social media have lauded the “incredible harmonies” and “beautiful blend” of their voices, with posts highlighting the emotional peak where their vocals intertwine. The track’s early success—topping 2 million streams in four days—suggests it could challenge the pop-country dominance, aligning with Cyrus’s vision of an “open” genre.

Fan and Industry Reception

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Online, fans describe it as “SO good” and “a beautiful, different song,” with many noting the guitar work and vocal synergy. Country stations like 98.1 The Bull have added it to rotation, predicting a chart impact, while industry analysts see it bridging generational and genre gaps. Cyrus’s Stagecoach and CMA Fest appearances primed audiences, and Shelton’s star power has boosted its visibility.

Critics offer mixed views. Some praise the authenticity, seeing it as a push against Nashville’s polished trends, while others question if it’s a fleeting experiment given Cyrus’s pop background. The timing—amid Shelton’s recent birthday tribute from Stefani and his feud with Luke Bryan—adds intrigue, though the focus remains on the music’s merit. Pre-orders for the album, spurred by “New Country,” have exceeded 50,000, signaling strong anticipation.

Cultural and Personal Context

This duet arrives as country music navigates a shift, with neotraditional sounds gaining traction among younger acts like Zach Top. Cyrus’s pivot mirrors her sister Miley’s 2025 album Something Beautiful, both embracing visual storytelling—here, tied to her late horse Constantine, inspiring “I Saw the Mountains.” Her father’s influence, through “With You,” and collaborations with Ella Langley and Fleet Foxes, enrich the album’s narrative of family and independence.

Shelton’s involvement reflects his own evolution, from The Voice to a family-focused life with Stefani. His 2017 Trump joke and past controversies contrast with this unifying project, suggesting a return to his musical roots. For Cyrus, it’s a declaration of identity, overcoming past struggles with self-trust, as she noted, “I’ve found who I am, and this record shows what I had inside me all along.”

Broader Implications

The duet could reshape Cyrus’s career, potentially elevating her beyond her 2022 debut’s success. For Shelton, it reinforces his legacy as a collaborator, following hits with Stefani. If “New Country” climbs charts, it might spur a traditionalist revival, challenging pop-country’s hold—a sentiment echoed in online calls for “country music’s resurrection.” The album’s diverse guests suggest a genre-blending future, appealing to a broad audience.

Culturally, it taps into a desire for authenticity, with fans sharing personal connections to the song’s themes of change and resilience. Brands may eye partnerships, given the duo’s combined 60 million social media followers. A rumored North American tour, starting post-July 11, could amplify this impact, with tickets already in demand.

The Road Ahead

As of June 24, the album’s full tracklist—featuring “Way of the World” with Langley and “Don’t Put It All on Me” with Fleet Foxes—promises variety. Cyrus’s Los Angeles release show on July 11 and subsequent tour stops in San Francisco and Chicago will test the duet’s live appeal. Shelton’s role remains undefined beyond the single, but his support hints at possible future projects.

This powerful duet with Blake Shelton is more than a track—it’s a milestone in Noah Cyrus’s journey and a bridge between country’s past and future. For fans, it’s a compelling listen that invites repeated exploration, a testament to music’s ability to heal and unite.