Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard started their wildly popular duo Florida Georgia Line in 2010. With songs like their debut single “Cruise,” they dominated the airwaves and all but codified the bro-country sound. Then, after a 12-year run, the duo called it quits in November 2022. Since then, many fans have speculated on what led to the “indefinite hiatus.” Recently, both Hubbard and Kelley appeared on separate episodes of Bussin’ with the Boys. Each gave their side of the story.
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Hubbard was the first to go on the podcast. His episode dropped earlier this week. He told hosts Taylor Compton and Taylor Lewan his side of the story. Then, Kelley sat down with the hosts for an “emergency episode” of the show that dropped earlier today.
[RELATED: Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard Releases “5 Foot 9” to Launch Solo Career]
Tyler Hubbard on the End of Florida Georgia Line
“I mean, for me, it was really unexpected,” he said of the split. “BK came to me and said, ‘Man, I’m really feeling like I want to do a solo thing.’ I’m like we’re just getting out of our first deal. We were kind of in a sweet spot that we had worked ten years to get to,” he recalled. “I’m like why don’t we just ride this thing out for like five more years, ten more years, and then we can do the solo thing,” he added.
However, he says Kelley didn’t want to wait. At the same time, Hubbard said he wanted to support his bandmate’s decisions. “He was adamant. Like, ‘Nah, now’s my time. I really need to do this for myself.’ I was like hey, whatever you need to do, bro. What do you want from me? He was like ‘I just want support,’” Hubbard recalled. “He definitely initiated the whole thing from the beginning. When I say it caught me off guard, it wasn’t that we had never mentioned it before. It was just one of those things where I didn’t think it was going to happen then.”
A Reunion Is Possible But Not Probable
Hubbard went on to say that he and Kelley don’t really talk anymore. “It’s pretty minimal now,” he said about communication between the former members of Florida Georgia Line. “I don’t know if BK needs some space or what, but I still try to reach out on text and stuff,” he explained. “Just congrats on the new song or whatever, whatever. But, there’s not a whole lot of engagement at this point, to be honest,” he added.
About a reunion in the future, Kelley said, “I’ll never say never but a lot of stuff would have to change. There would have to be some real long, open conversations. And some healing would have to be done before that ever happened.”
Brian Kelley Shares His Side of the Florida Georgia Line Split
“I’m a songwriter,” Kelley began. “We ended up in a duo and I’m forever grateful for what we were able to do. We had magic and amazing fans. We went on a hell of a ride and I’m forever grateful for that,” he added.
“We’ve had the conversation of having extra outlets since 2016,” Kelley revealed. “Then, every two years after that. I had voiced that I wanted to keep doing FGL. But, for me in my off time, when songwriters are alone, you find even more of yourself. There’s going to be songs over the years that I’m going to write that aren’t going to fit the brand of FGL. So, it was important to me to continue to honor my craft, my artistry, my songwriting,” he explained.
[RELATED: Did Brian Kelley Release a Diss Track About His Former Florida Georgia Line Partner? Fans Say Yes]
“We had kind of made a deal that once our fifth record is out and our term’s up, we’re going to create more freedom for ourselves. We’re going to keep FGL going and put out some solo stuff. So, it wasn’t a surprise,” he said, refuting Hubbard’s claim. “The marker was in place.”
Kelley went on to say that he hoped he and Hubbard could get solo record deals on the same label and re-negotiate a deal to keep Florida Georgia Line going. He added that he had pitched the idea of doing three-hour concerts in which both he and Hubbard would perform solo sets before coming together for an FGL set. “I wanted to do it all,” he said.
“Undivided” and Social Media Drama
Tensions between Hubbard and Kelley started in 2020. Hubbard and his wife supported Biden while Kelley and his wife supported Trump. The Hubbards unfollowed the Kelleys on social media with Tyler saying he liked Brian more in person than he did online.
Kelley also pointed to the song “Undivided” that Hubbard recorded with Tim McGraw which dropped in January 2021. “Tyler had solo music out before I even did,” Kelley pointed out. Before we even got our fifth album out, he had released a couple of songs. He had played Biden’s inauguration which was a huge look to be a solo act with Tim McGraw. He released another song. “I didn’t start releasing music until April,” he added. “He was rockin’ at radio immediately, top of January of 2021 and I didn’t get music out ‘til April and then the album in June,” he clarified.
Early Florida Georgia Line Solo Releases
“Undivided” hit streaming services on January 13, 2021. Tyler Hubbard also joined Thomas Rhett and Russell Dickerson for “Death Row” which dropped in March 2022. Hubbard’s first solo single, “5 Foot 9” dropped on May 20, 2022.
Brian Kelley released his debut solo EP, BK’s Wave Pack on April 13, 2021
Featured Image by Jeremy Chan/Getty Images
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