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Miranda Lambert + Elle King’s “Drunk” chart-topper is a personal win, and a win for women in country music

By Stephen Hubbard and Carena Liptak Apr 14, 2022 | 5:00 AM


ABC

Ironically, Miranda Lambert and Elle King just scored a big ol’ chart-topping country hit about something they haven’t been able to do together since before the song came out.

“Her and I haven’t gotten to get drunk and not go home since we cut this song, because she got pregnant,” Miranda explains to ABC Audio, laughing. “So I was, like, drinking for two.”

With Elle’s baby boy, Lucky, now over seven months old, perhaps a little partying to celebrate the milestone is in order. “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” is Elle’s second number one at U.S. country radio — following “Different for Girls,” a Dierks Bentley duet — and Miranda’s ninth.

Every number one is a major accomplishment, especially since, even though Miranda’s career dates back to the mid-2000s, many of her singles have never reached the top spot at radio.

“I haven’t had that many number ones…That’s always like, ‘Oh my gosh, we got a number one?’” Miranda notes,  adding that it’s especially nice “to share it with a friend.”

Reflecting on Elle, Miranda says, “[S]he just has great energy and we have great chemistry together.”

The win is worth celebrating on a larger scale, too. Not only is “Drunk” the first time a duet between two women has topped the charts since Reba McEntire and Linda Davis’ “Does He Love You” in 1993, but it’s also the first time that two all-female duets are in the top 10 at country radio at the same time.

The other song, of course is the Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde’s ballad “Never Wanted to Be That Girl.”  The milestone didn’t slip past Ashley, who brought it to Miranda’s attention on social media.

“I was like, ‘Yeah…that’s awesome,’” Miranda marvels. “Like, we’re finally getting somewhere, you know what I mean?”

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