The unstoppable Gabby Barrett is about to make history. She is on the brink of scoring her first #1 on country radio: her debut single, “I Hope” has been climbing the chart for the past year and her hard work is paying off. To celebrate the success of “I Hope”, Barrett surprised fans by releasing a remix of the jam featuring pop singer-songwriter Charlie Puth. Together, the two fuse Barrett’s medium of country and r&b with Puth’s signature pop and hip-hop sound to create a new take on the ground-breaking song.

Barrett takes the first verse and chorus, her voice sailing on the electric guitar hook. Puth takes the second verse and chorus, and he is able to make it feel completely different. His voice is crisp, and he changes the lyrics and narrative to fit a guy’s perspective. “Yeah, babe, I hope he shows up in a 2 am pic with your friends / Hanging onto a girl to just rub it in / I hope you stay up all night all alone waiting by the phone / And then he calls,” he sings moodily. When he sings on the chorus, he is able to show off his incredible range, belting and pouring every emotion into the performance.

“I Hope” is all dressed up this time around, with a dance track and snap beat guiding the song along. Barrett has the pipes of a pop star, so the collaboration feels perfectly natural and is perfect for pop radio. Puth is known for his songs on heartbreak and what it feels like to be done wrong, and the two not only blend well together sonically but are able to portray that feeling of bitterness, true sadness, and animosity. This remix without a doubt will be a crossover smash.

Barrett will be the first female artist since Carly Pearce (2017) to have her debut single go #1; she is topping the Billboard Country Streaming Songs chart, making her the first female country artist to do so since Miranda Lambert (2015); and her single has surpassed over 60 million streams on Spotify. For any artist’s first single, these accomplishments are other-worldly. But it’s even more meaningful that it’s happening to a deserving woman like Barrett.

Right now the world is at a standstill, but at the same time, much-needed change is happening. Ingrid Andress, another new female artist, is about to have a #1 song with her poignant “More Hearts Than Mine”. Andress and Barrett are about to change the game for so many other talented and driven artists — in fact, they already have. They’re bringing something else to the table right now as well, and that’s hope. A year ago, having two debut singles by women reach the top 5 was unheard of. Barrett is proof that things do change; will change, and it’s nice to have some good news these days.

To keep up with Gabby Barrett, you can follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“I Hope” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.