Gabby Barrett confesses that husband Cade Foehner won’t tolerate duets with male country stars
In a recent podcast, country music singer Gabby Barrett revealed that her husband, fellow American Idol contestant Cade Foehner will not allow her to duet with a male country star. She also explained that because of her strong religious beliefs, she watches how she dresses, and the lyrical content of her songs.
She calls how she handles her career “warfare” and a constant struggle. Additionally, Gabby criticized how pop culture “celebrates” divorce instead of God-based marriage.
The conversation took place during an interview with conservative podcaster Hannah Love, who is married to Shay Mooney of the country duo, Dan + Shay.
Gabby grew up in Pittsburgh as a non-religious Catholic. But then Cade ‘gifted’ her a Bible
Gabby revealed that she grew up Catholic and attended Catholic schools because her parents felt the education would be better. Her father and mother weren’t that religious and didn’t have a Bible in the house (which isn’t unusual in Catholic households).
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It wasn’t until she met her future husband Cade, when they competed together on American Idol in 2018, that she came to “know” God. She finished the competition in third place, he wound up in fourth place. They began dating on the show and within two years, they were married.
“Cade was known as the Bible kid” on American Idol,” she explained. “Religion was always my favorite subject in school. I did not do great in school besides that. I was so curious about and so drawn to it.” But as she read the Bible that Cade gifted to her, it was like “God turned the switch on.” She added, “It just completely changed me from the inside out.”
Love asked Gabby, considering her strong beliefs, if there were times she had to put her foot down. Gabby said, that she and Cade, who plays guitar in her band, “Try to be intentional in music, what we talk about.” The intentionality includes how she dresses, and the types of songs she sings. Gabby added that she thinks about what her children will think when they look back at her career. Gabby and Cade are currently expecting their third child, a girl.
“I listen to what he has to say and I think he deserves that and the Bible talks about doing that for our husbands.”
Cade made it clear that duets with male country music stars would be improper. She has drawn the line with management on that subject.
“I won’t get into specific songs, but there’s been large song opportunities that have come in for me to…be a part of.” But out of “respect” for Cade she turned them down. It’s “something between myself and my husband, and I respect him a ton,” she said, “And I listen to what he has to say and I think he deserves that and the Bible talks about doing that for our husbands.”
Gabby added, “There’s been songs that are just not appropriate to sing…these love songs that are really intimate wording wise and then when you accept a song, there’s obligations that to along with it–that you could sing it on award shows together. You might be doing interviews together. What does that look like on the stage? What does (it) look like if I’m singing with another man? Is that going to make my husband uncomfortable? Probably.”
“I respect him and love him so much that I’m not going to jeopardize my marriage to do a duet with somebody. I care about this a lot more,” Gabby added, I pray and hope and know that God will bless my efforts in trying to keep my marriage straight.”
“It’s a constant warfare every day. You’re like ‘Oh this will kick things in the right direction…I really want to do it…'”
Gabby noted that she has endured criticisms for seemingly putting her husband’s feelings ahead of her career. “I have tons of people that say to me, or have texted me or commented me and said, ‘she is ruining her career by talking about these things…” But Gabby says she treasures “a Godly marriage over anything the world could offer.”
Gabby admits that she has to struggle with those big decisions: “It’s challenging…and it’s difficult with all the fleshly parts that play into it…,” she said. “If a song does come in…and there’s an opportunity that comes in…flesh and spirit battle all the time. It’s a constant warfare every day. You’re like ‘Oh this will kick things in the right direction…I really want to do it…’ But, you know, this is more important to me.”
“I don’t know what (life) is going to look like in 5 years, 10 years, I don’t know how long I’ll be doing music for,” said Gabby, “but I’m just here for the ride that God is taking us on, and trying to be wise with what he gives.”
Gabby’s management and label respect her concerns and support her marriage,” she claimed.
Gabby and Love criticize how ‘culture pushes divorce’ more than Godly marriages
The podcast ended with a discussion about divorce. Love is disgusted. She believes that culture “idolizes” divorce more than marriage. “It does break my heart to see how culture is really trying to push the narrative of ‘divorce is cool and should be super celebrated’ like ‘this one’s getting divorced!” she said.
Gabby chimed in, “It’s almost like a divorce thing is pushed more than somebody getting married.” She added, “I see more about divorce than I do of people uniting in marriage.” But Gabby is sure the Godly folk will never be divorced. “If it’s involving the Lord in it I really don’t see much of that at all! I really can’t tell you many that I’ve personally…and I have to be on the internet all the time.”
Outlets write about celebrity divorce because that’s what gets the clicks. This is NOTHING NEW. Go back to the 30s and 40s and the movie magazines with divorce stories on the covers. Nobody is pushing a specific “narrative.”
And I wonder if these two hens are pointing fingers at artists like Kelly Clarkson, who get divorced and are candid about it through their art. Outlets were calling her latest album, chemistry, her “divorce album.” Kelly shares her pain, but also about how happy she is now as a single woman. Gotta love the finger pointing and pearl clutching from the “holier-than-thou” set. Ladies, those fingers are gonna fall off, they’re wagging so much.
The thing is, Kelly is popular because so many women go through divorces just like hers. She’s not putting up a fake front or clinging to a bad marriage.
Love ends the podcast by thanking Cade “who allowed you to be here today”
Love goes on to praise conservative podcasts and voices like Candace Cameron Bure from Full House and Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson, calling them people who are “championing faith and living it out in the culture.”
Gabby did talk about her Idol experience a little bit. Even more than her family, Gabby considers American Idol the biggest turning point in her life. “It was and forever will be a huge highlight,” she explained, “A lot kind of transpired from that…it just took everything to the next level…I think that was a very large turning point for me.” American Idol scouted Gabby when she was 17. They found her on Youtube.
Love closes the show thanking Cade “who allowed you to be here today.”
