Gabby Barrett and Cade Foehner Celebrate Career Success in Low-Key Ways: ‘We’re Really Boring People’

When Gabby Barrett first got the news that her debut single, “I Hope,” had hit No. 1 at country radio, her husband and fellow American Idol alum Cade Foehner was by her side. Since Foehner is also an artist himself, Barrett says he has a unique perspective into all the hard work that goes into earning a chart-topping hit, which made marking the milestone together even sweeter.

Still, she adds with a laugh, their celebrations didn’t get too crazy.

“We’re really boring people. We’re not party people,” the singer admits. “When the song went No. 1, we literally just went home. I cooked a special supper and made a pie, and then I was curled up by the fireplace later that night. So we were definitely more lax, but we enjoyed it.”

Foehner had a hand in Barrett’s upcoming album, Goldmine. He co-wrote “Got Me,” her duet with Christian duo Shane & Shane, and he’s also been hitting the road with her as her guitarist for some recent tour dates.

“He’s always been extremely supportive of my music, and I’ve been that way towards him. It’s exciting that we’re doing that together now, and he’s playing guitar on the road with me,” she adds. “You know, we do all this together. It’s really cool to have your spouse out there with you.”

As her musical star continues to rise, Barrett knows that her platform is expanding. The more success she achieves, the more girls and young women will look up to her. As someone who is both working hard on her musical career and navigating her first year of married life, she hopes to set a positive example for her young female fans who dream of not having to choose between a busy career and a happy relationship.

“When I was growing up and focusing on music, that was definitely a conversation I had with myself: ‘How do you want people to see you’?” she relates. “I definitely would love to be a good role model for girls. When I have kids, if I have daughters, [I want to be able to] point to them somebody that’s a good role model. And I want people to be able to point to their kids [somebody like that.] I definitely try to be that for people, especially, yes, young girls that are coming up.”

Barrett carries that message of empowerment into her new album. Songs like “Footprints on the Moon” rally against the idea of a goal or accomplishment being impossible, simply because it’s never been done — and in fact, the singer says that it’s one of her favorite tracks on the project.

“[That’s a song] I’m really excited for people to hear,” she gushes. “I think it’s such a cool song. I think it just kicks butt.”