Dan + Shay‘s Shay Mooney will never forget receiving his favorite Christmas present. The 30-year-old got an unexpected gift when he was a child, one that he still vividly recalls.
“I probably say this answer every year, but getting a Nintendo 64,” Mooney shared with the Country Music Association. “I don’t remember how old I was, but I remember it changed my life. It was the greatest gift. I feel like all the magic was gone after the Nintendo 64. It was the pinnacle. It was all downhill from there. At this age, I don’t even get any gifts anymore.”
Mooney recently shed a lot of weight — more than 50 pounds to be exact. But while he is focusing on a healthier lifestyle, he is still planning on indulging on his favorite dessert over during Christmas.
“My favorite holiday meal, a must-have, or really any holiday, is pumpkin pie,” reveals the singer. “Pumpkin pie is probably my favorite. That and pecan pie. Really just pies in general. I’m a big pie guy. So I’d say pumpkin pie. That’s a must-have.”
Dan + Shay, which also includes Dan Smyers, has more to celebrate in December than Christmas. The duo also just celebrated the tenth anniversary of when they met, quickly forming both a friendship and a musical partnership.
“We met exactly 10 years ago today (December 7, 2012) and our lives were forever changed,” Dan + Shay shared on social media. “With your love + support, we’ve been able to accomplish so many incredible things that we’ve dreamed of since we were little kids. The one thing that has been a constant throughout our decade long journey is our friendship. More importantly than anything else, we’re genuinely just two best friends who get to do what we love together and we wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“As we’re currently working on our 5th album, our relationship is stronger than it’s ever been and our sense of gratitude is at an all-time high,” the duo continued. “Looking through these photos this morning brought back so many memories and tears, but we feel like we’re only just getting started. We’re more focused than ever and know our best music is yet to come. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU.”
Dan + Shay performed both “It’s Officially Christmas” and “Holiday Party” for CMA Country Christmas. The show, which also features performances Carly Pearce, Steven Curtis Chapman, Scotty McCreery, Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Molly Tuttle, and The War And Treaty, is currently streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
Dan + Shay are currently enjoying a Top 30 single with “You,” from their latest Good Things album. Find music and tour dates at DanandShay.com.
