Blake Shelton Opens Up About Powerful New Single ‘Let Him In Anyway’ and Emotional Fan Reactions [Exclusive]

The Oklahoma native recalled feeling “floored” by the message of the deeply emotional song.

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

May 20, 2026

2:26 pm

Blake Shelton; Photo Provided

Blake Shelton has had plenty of impactful songs throughout his career. With 31 No. 1 singles under his belt, he has certainly proven he knows a hit song when he hears one and his latest single, “Let Him In Anyway,” is no different. It’s a song that immediately stopped him in his tracks, and he knew it was something he wanted to record.

During an exclusive interview with Country Now backstage at the ACM Awards in Las Vegas, Shelton reflected on hearing the song for the first time, explained the early crowd reaction, and shared insight into filming the recently released music video.

A Song That Stopped Him in His Tracks

“Let Him In Anyway” was written by Zach Abend, Kyle Clark, Michael Hardy and Carson Wallace. Shelton recalls hearing the demo and instantly knowing this song hit differently.

“I Was Just Blown Away”: The First Time He Heard ‘Let Him In Anyway’

“The first time I heard the song… Katie at my record label sent it over to me and I was just blown away by it. At one point I thought, ‘She’s sending me this song, can I cut this or is this like the next big artist they’re about to release?’ And I was like, ‘But that sounds like HARDY on that demo.’ And it turns out obviously it was,” he explained.

The Oklahoma native recalled feeling “floored” by the message of the deeply emotional song, which explores grief, keeping faith, and the hope for mercy after losing someone you love. In the song, the narrator sends a plea to God, asking to let his friend into heaven anyway, despite an imperfect life.

As Shelton points out, the song says something that hasn’t been said, especially in this way, before.

“I love to be able to record a song that’s kind of an area, a subject that I haven’t covered yet. I mean, when you’ve been doing this a hundred years like I have, it’s hard to find something you haven’t said before and so this is definitely something that hasn’t been said. I don’t know that it’s ever been said in any song that I’ve ever heard before.”

Early Live Performances Spark Emotional Crowd Reactions

“Let Him In Anyway” is featured on Shelton’s latest album, For Recreational Use Only. While it is steadily climbing the charts at country radio, Shelton has already begun performing it live during his shows and admits the audience reaction has reminded him of the emotional response to his 2002 hit “The Baby.”

“The reaction in the show is exciting right now because for the most part, people at the show still haven’t heard it yet. It’s still pretty much a baby song and so you get to really see people’s first initial reaction to it and it’s fun to see these guys that are kind of these stoic dudes sitting by their wives that are bored, unaffected. ‘Why did you drag me to this show?’ By the end of the song they were crying and like looking at the ground, having to get up and walk around for a minute and that’s when you know man, we’ve got something important here because even those guys can’t pretend like they don’t care.”

This also marks one of the first times Shelton has openly sung about faith in this way, something he approached with his trademark humor.

“Well, I’m getting older and I’m going to die soon so I mean you better start figuring this stuff out. Might as well put it in my songs. It’s time to start getting right!”

Music Video Filmed in a Stunning Church Near Pasadena, California

Shelton paired “Let Him In Anyway” with a music video filmed in a beautiful church setting near Pasadena, California. In the visual, sunlight pours through stained glass windows while dimly lit lanterns hang above, as Shelton appears seated in the pews and also shown in the center of the church with a guitar in hand.

While he admits music videos are no longer his favorite part of the process, he says this one stands out as something special.

“Anytime you see me in a video and you think, man, he’s really into it or whatever, I hate filming videos. I mean, I just do not enjoy the process anymore. It used to be like super exciting like ‘I’m going to make a music video!’ Now I’m like, ‘Do we really need to do a video?’

“It’s a beautiful church though, really. On a serious note, it was absolutely beautiful and it was a neat moment,” he continued. “I mean, when I walked in there, I did have that attitude of, ‘Oh my God, music video.’ And then I walked in and they had the lights coming through the stained glass and it felt like I was walking into a dream or something. It was really neat in there.”

Fans can catch Shelton performing “Let Him In Anyway” and plenty of his 31 No. 1 hits in Las Vegas on the remaining dates of his Live in Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. He’s also scheduled to perform at CMA Fest in early June.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.