Gabby Barrett stunned audiences with her soaring voice on Season 16 of American Idol in 2018, and after finishing third on the show, her star has only continued to rise. Shortly after her time on the show, she independently released "I Hope," a song that would become her first major hit. As the song began to make waves, Barrett was noticed by record labels, and she signed a deal with Warner Music Nashville in 2019. Since then, she has released multiple radio hits and become one of the top new female artists in country music. Barrett has also been busy in her personal life, marrying fellow Idol contestant Cade Foehner in October of 2019 and welcoming the arrival of their first child, Baylah, in January 2021. The couple are currently expecting a second child - a boy. Although Barrett has many more hit songs on the horizon, here are 5 of her best songs so far.
5. "Got Me" featuring Shane & Shane
Barrett has often been open about her Christian faith, and she put her beliefs into song in "Got Me," featuring Shane & Shane, from her debut album, Goldmine. This is a worship song in which she sings about her belief in God and His love for her. She sings about the security she feels knowing He won't leave her. "Nothing can separate me from amazing grace / Jesus You're all that I need / If everything falls apart / And I don't know where to start / You bring me back to my knees," she sings. The song features a sweet melody and a somewhat jazzy rhythm as she begins the song alone. Shane & Shane then join in for harmony in the second chorus and orchestral strings are brought into the production mix. In the bridge, Barrett sings a portion of the hymn, "Give Me Jesus," to drive home the message of the tune.
4. "Footprints on the Moon"
For her third single from her debut album, Goldmine, Barrett released a song of encouragement for all the dreamers out there. The tune, "Footprints on the Moon," details a young person's journey of pursuing his or her dreams. The tune touches on the difficulties that can come up, the desire to quit and the words from the naysayers, but ultimately, it serves to encourage listeners to keep persevering in their path. The song, again, employs soaring country instrumentation which surely drives home the message of the song.
3. "Pick Me Up"
In this, a sweet love song, Barrett sings about turning to her loved one to forget about the struggles of life. In the verse, she sings about having a bad day, and she asks her partner to come pick her up and whisk her away from her troubles. This song features a more country sound than her previous crossover singles. With country instrumentation, including strong guitars and banjo, and Barrett's sweet voice, this makes for a romantic love song ready for any summer night. "You'll be by my side, everything gonna be alright / Make the world go black, how you do me like that / When I climb up in your truck, just pick me up," she sings.
2. "The Good Ones"
For her second single, Barrett continued her hit streak with a committed love song called "The Good Ones." In this tune, Barrett sings about the perfect man: a man who is "one of the good ones." Throughout the song, she sings about the characteristics that make a man a "good one," ("He's a phone call to his parents / He's a Bible by the bed"). As she continues to sing, she reveals that her man is one of these "good ones." Although it's a heartfelt love song, the tune is also radio friendly with its uptempo rhythm and Barrett's soaring voice. "The Good Ones" topped the Country charts and landed within the Top 20 on the Adult Contemporary and Hot 100 charts.
1. "I Hope"
After her stint on American Idol, Gabby Barrett debuted on the country music scene with fierce revenge song, "I Hope." In this song, Barrett sings from the perspective of a woman who was cheated on by her boyfriend, and she not-so-secretly hopes he gets a taste of his own medicine in his next relationship. The beginning of the song finds Barrett hoping her ex finds someone and falls in love, and although it sounds like she simply wishes him well, that all changes in the chorus. "I hope she comes along and wrecks every one of your plans / I hope you spend your last dime to put a rock on her hand / I hope she's wilder than your wildest dreams / She's everything you're ever gonna need / And then I hope she cheats like you did on me," she sings. "I Hope" was a worldwide hit for Barrett, landing at No. 1 on the country charts, among others. She also recorded a pop remix with Charlie Puth that topped the Top 40 charts and landed at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
