Sugarland on Returning to Country Music: 'It's a Beautiful Thing to Be Missed'

Sugarland are back, and they're better than ever. The duo, made up of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, took a hiatus in 2012, at the time stating they wanted to work on their solo projects and spend time with their families and on their personal endeavors. But now, Nettles shares that the break was as much to rejuvenate themselves, and take a step back from where they saw their career heading.

"I think creatively we were always leaders in the format," she tells Rolling Stone Country, "but where I saw us going and where the format was at the time; what I didn't want to happen was for us to take a dive – creatively or in the industry. It felt like a good time to pause and get new juice in ourselves … But we always left that door open so we could walk back in."

Walk back in they did, with the release of their energetic "Still the Same" single from an upcoming new album. The song, and the record they are creating, might not have been possible five years ago.

"The metaphor I would use is that country radio now is a much wider lane," Nettles says. "I think before, we were playing in a wider lane, and because of that sometimes we would get outside of the margins in a way that pushed people."

"I mean, we tried to rap on 'Stuck Like Glue' and everybody was like 'What? Rap?'" she adds. "And now it's like 'Sam Hunt! Rap!'"

One thing Sugarland look forward to doing on their upcoming project is speaking out on things that matter to them, especially issues of sexual misconduct that suddenly are being given a voice.

"It's been everywhere in our writing," reveals Nettles. "I think we're all learning the language of pain right now. For so long we've been kept quiet, and now we are hearing it very loudly. It is our pain as women – first and foremost – and right now many of us in revisiting those wounds are screaming pretty loudly. And we're allowed to do that right now because the volume is directly proportionate to the pain. As a woman I think it's important, and as an artist I take that part seriously."

Sugarland will kick off their Still the Same Tour on May 4, bringing along an impressive list of opening acts, including Brandy Clark, Lindsay Ell, Clare Bowen and Frankie Ballard. This time, the singer insists she and Bush will cherish every moment.

"It's a beautiful thing to be missed," she says, "and it's a horrible thing to be taken for granted."

Dates for their Still the Same Tour are available on their website.

Photo Credit: Facebook/Sugarland