Thomas Rhett put a new twist on a heartfelt ballad from his latest studio record, About A Woman, which serves as a sweet tribute to his wife of more than a decade, Lauren Akins.
Rhett said he'd always imagined “What Could Go Right” — which Rhett wrote with Rocky Block, John Byron and Josh Kerr — as a duet. He quickly knew that he wanted to team up with rising powerhouse artist Lanie Gardner, who was recently revealed as part of CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2025. Previous classes have included Lainey Wilson, Kelsea Ballerini, Lauren Alaina, Carly Pearce and many more. On the new version, “Gardner’s powerful vocal adds a new dimension, creating new perspective and emotional depth,” reads a press release issued Friday morning (March 21). The song captures “the excitement and uncertainty that marked the beginning of (Rhett’s) own relationship with his wife Lauren,” and he and Gardner “capture the vulnerability and hope at the heart of the track, inviting listeners to embrace the optimism of ‘What Could Go Right’—and the possibilities of love.”
“In the back of my mind, I always envisioned ‘What Could Go Right’ being a feature on the album. When I first heard Lanie's cover of ‘Dreams,’ I started listening to her original music and became an instant fan. Her voice is incredible,” Rhett said in a statement. “I immediately wondered ‘what could that sound like on ‘What Could Go Right?’’ So, we reached out to her, and she came over to my producer’s house the very same day and absolutely nailed it. I'm so excited for her career. I think she’s going to be an absolute superstar and I can’t wait to watch her journey. I'm so glad she said yes to singing on this song with me.”
Rhett shared a sneak peek of the duet earlier this week. Gardner said it was “unreal” to team up with the award-winning country star on the new collaboration. It marked a “full-circle moment” after years of listening to Rhett’s music.
“It’s honestly unreal. I used to blast Thomas Rhett’s songs in my car, singing at the top of my lungs, and now I’m sitting here hearing my voice alongside his on a track. That’s just wild to me,” Gardner said in the release. “TR has been one of those artists I’ve looked up to for so long—his songwriting, the way he brings so much heart into his music, and how he’s shaped country music over the years. He’s just one of the best to do it. Getting to be a part of this song with him has been such a full-circle moment, and I’m beyond grateful he thought of me for it. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!”
Rhett is part of the star-studded lineup of the 2025 iHeartCountry Festival, which is slated to take place on Saturday, May 3. The festival, hosted by iHeartRadio’s Bobby Bones, will return to Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Other artists in the lineup include Brooks & Dunn, Cole Swindell, Rascal Flatts, Sam Hunt, Megan Moroney, Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith.
Hulu will be the Official Streaming Destination of the festival, with performances livestreamed exclusively to all Hulu subscribers at no additional cost. Additional information about the livestream will be posted across Hulu’s platform and social media channels. Fans can tune in to the 2025 iHeartCountry Festival to catch all of the action live on May 3 at 8pm ET/5pm PT (7pm CT) across iHeartCountry stations nationwide and on the free iHeartRadio app via iHeartRadio's iHeartCountry station. Tickets to the 2025 iHeartCountry Festival are available now via Ticketmaster.com.