Blake Shelton felt burned out after he left The Voice in May of 2023. The country superstar took a year to contemplate his next steps, and got an unexpected phone call from Post Malone to collaborate on “Pour Me a Drink,” which reignited his passion for music. Shelton says that the song’s massive success “lit a fire under me,” and the 48-year-old country star took that creative momentum with him into the studio to record his 13th album, For Recreational Use Only, which is due out on Friday (May 9). The record’s lead single, “Texas,” became Shelton’s 30th No. 1 of his career, a milestone he has now learned to embrace. “After 25 years of doing this, and the ups and downs, I don’t feel like I have anything to prove anymore,” he says. “I used to be almost afraid of my success because I was afraid of losing it somehow. Maybe the worry kept me working hard and focused — but now it’s just fun for me.” (People)