Brett Young Launches 18-Date Tour Thursday Following Two-Year Break From Alcohol

Brett Young is gearing up for his upcoming 18-stop 2.0 Tour. The first show will be held at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, on Jan. 22. The tour will be an important time in Brett Young's career because it will tell the story of his life and the story behind his music and show how much he has grown personally and how he has come closer to his audience.

"What made me fall in love with country music is the storytelling," says Young, whose current single, "Drink with You," continues to climb the charts. "And so, I feel like I've gotten to a place in my career where my fans are familiar with me enough that I can slow things down a little bit and dig in further than the three and a half minutes of the song. I always say it's our job to pull back the curtain a little bit more every year."

The tour seeks to connect with fans through a more personalized experience away from his stage performance by allowing fans to learn about his life outside of music. Young will also provide more context through anecdotes about his songs that have shaped his catalog, including "In Case You Didn't Know," "Mercy," and "Sleep Without You," along with other songs from his 2020 album, 2.0.

In parallel with the tour, Young has made a significant personal change, quitting drinking at the start of 2024. "It was a huge transition," he says of the changes he made when it came to alcohol. "I wasn't one of these people that had an addiction or anything like that, so it wasn't me going through a process of letting go of alcohol, but it always seemed to be there to take the edge off or calm the nerves a bit. You don't really realize you're relying on it because it's so baked into the culture."

He began noticing patterns beyond the stage. "There was a bit of a routine that builds around it," Young states. "Before you know it, it's not just on the road." He pauses, then continues. "It was difficult and a little uncomfortable and frustrating at times, but I think the performer that came out of it and on the other side is actually quite a bit better and more seasoned. I'm more confident now than I've ever been."

Family also drove the decision. "It was at the end of 2023 where I went, 'You know what? I don't feel like I'm doing everything I can to be around for my family as long as possible and be the best version of me and the healthiest version of me as I can for these little kids,'" says Young. The lifestyle change has brought health and fitness benefits, improved mental well-being, greater touring energy, and a renewed focus on being present for his wife and daughters, Presley and Rowan.