Elle King, Miranda Lambert talk No. 1 hit 'Drunk': 'one of the ultimate fun, party songs'

Elle King's collaboration with Miranda Lambert (and songwriter/producer Martin Johnson) on recent country radio No. 1 single "Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)" was feted at music publisher BMI's Music Row offices Wednesday. The joyous, friendly tandem offered The Tennessean candid, exclusive thoughts.

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Though King and Lambert have shared a lot of success, being seated at a table during the interview was one of a handful of times they've been together since 2019. They did appear in a raucously hilarious video for the chart-topping single, plus perform the track at awards shows, including 2021's ACM and CMA Awards, plus 2022's recent Billboard Music Awards.

But the duet for "Drunk" was preceded by the two spending considerable time together. King was an opening act during Lambert’s 2019 “Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars” tour. This led to King's appearance on another Lambert track, a critically-acclaimed, mega-collaborative cover of Elvin Bishop's 1975 classic "Fooled Around And Fell In Love." It featured fellow female tour openers Caylee Hammack, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris and Tenille Townes.

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The success of "Drunk" as a chart-topper featuring multiple female artists (along with Carly Pearce and McBryde on "Never Wanted To Be That Girl") is emblematic of how women artists sharing a dynamic time in Music City are being allowed — by virtue of their talent — to share space.

"When women get together, badass, magical, powerful things tend to happen," King said about her work with Lambert over the past five years. She citedher friendship with  Lambert as offering her inspiration to continue along her path in country music.

"I didn't set out to create a 'moment' for female artists as much as I had a fun time sitting around drinking sake and singing a duet with one of my friends," Lambert said.

The party-ready single's 14-month journey to the top of the radio charts puts it in COVID-era company with Lainey Wilson's "Things A Man Oughta Know," which achieved the same benchmark after 13 months.

"I hate that it takes so long now [for a single to reach number one on country radio]," Lambert said. "As artists, we have so many songs on our albums. Because it takes so freaking long for one of them to do anything on the charts, we might get two singles to radio."

"This song has the potential to be one of the ultimate fun, party songs," Lambert said. "I have sung it last every night on tour so far, and when I'm done singing it, I don't want to go home."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Miranda Lambert, Elle King talk ultimate party song 'Drunk'