Dan + Shay Perform 'Glad You Exist' At The iHeartRadio Music Awards

On Thursday (May 27), Dan + Shay hit the stage at the iHeartRadio Music Awards to perform their song 'Glad You Exist.' The duo, consisting of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, was happy to be back on stage after a long year without live music. It's clear 'Glad You Exist' was the perfect song for the occasion, too, as the meaningful lyrics captured the excitement and gratitude these two feel about being able to perform for their fans once again.

For the first time in over a year, Dan + Shay performed in front of their fans. Ahead of their performance, the duo spoke to Elvis Duran at the iHeartRadio Music Awards Live! Presented by Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar pre-show about how eager they were to get back on stage. They said they were most looking forward to the "energy" they share with fans while singing live. Mooney said the two best parts of being a music artist are "hearing your song on the radio for the first time and hearing your fans sing the words back to you."

When the country crooning duo first dropped 'Glad You Exist,' they opened up about the heartfelt inspiration behind the song. “I had the phrase ‘glad you exist’ written down in my phone, and I always caught myself saying it to my wife, just being appreciative that she is on this planet at the same time that I’m on this planet,” Smyers revealed. “I brought it to Shay and we started kicking around ideas, we thought it would be a really cool song.”

While the inspiration began with Smyers being thankful for his wife, Abby, the song quickly grew to encapsulate a number of people in Smyers and Mooney's lives, including their dedicated fan base. “It turned into just a message about how grateful we are for everybody in our lives — our friends, our families, our fans,” Smyers continued. “And it’s taken on new meaning for us, not being able to see everybody in person. So this song is super close to our hearts and we’re proud to get it out there into the world.”

The enthusiasm of the audience shows just how glad they are that Dan + Shay exist, too, and how happy everybody is to hear live music again. With such a strong connection Dan + Shay have with their fans, it's no surprise they won the Best Duo/Group of the Year award, too.

Photo: Getty