Couple Things with Shawn and Andrew - 20 Luke Combs + Nicole Hocking

Episode Date: May 6, 2020

This week, in episode 20 of Couple Things with Shawn + Andrew, we sit down with one of our favorite singers and his amazing fiancé, Luke Combs and Nicole Hocking. We were both really honored to sit down with these guys and are thankful they gave us an inside look at their relationship. Both Nicole and Luke open up about how they met, their proposal story, and how they manage their relationship in the public eye. We really respect these two and how they handle scrutiny, and it was really interesting to hear about the evolution of their relationship; from friends to fiancé. We love hearing that despite the craziness, they are both each others #1's. We hope you enjoy this one as much as we did. Without further ado, Luke Combs and Nicole Hocking.  If you want to follow Luke & Nicole, you can find them on instagram as  @Luke Combs  and @nicohocking. If you want to hear some of Luke's music, you can find all of his work and MORE on his website, here! https://www.lukecombs.com/   If you haven't yet, please rate and subscribe to the show to hear more! And if you have suggestions/recommendations for the show, send us your ideas in a video format - we might just choose yours! Email us at [e-mail].    We are supported by the following AMAZING companies! Make sure to check them out using our special code & link below!    Best Fiends! Download Best Fiends FREE on the Apple App Store or Google Play!   Betterhelp! Our listeners get 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/eastfam! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, by the way, Luke, that looks real great. It's been a lot of time getting ready. A night spent cleaning up cats and cat pee and then ends in a beautiful proposal. Just how you dreamed it, right, Nicole? Just how you dreamed it up. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to Couple Things.

What's Sean and Andrew? A podcast all about couples and the things they go through. I'm geeking out. today because I'm a big fan of country music and we're talking to arguably the hottest artists in country music today. It's Luke Combs and his fiance, Nicole Hawking. Newly engaged and we get to hear all of that, which was maybe the best story I've ever heard when it comes to engagements. This is actually the first time they've shared their engagement story publicly. We're honored. It was amazing. Luke has been nominated the top country artist, the top country male artist,

the top country album and he had the top country song this guy is crushing it right now not just nominated babe he won he has it all of them and nicole it's really cool their story because they have been together before luke struck stardom and so they kind of tell what that progression has been like what the evolution has been like how it's affected their relationship and i really respect nico and her public defense of luke uh it's not an easy thing being a spouse of uh someone who's kind of in the public eye, I know from personal experience, but Nicole is ferociously supportive of her significant other, and I really respect that. And if you want to find out more about Luke and his fiance, you can check them out in the description or show notes down below. And make sure

you give the show a rating and subscribe to it on whatever platform you're listening. Without further ado, Nicole and Luke. Thank you for joining us this morning. Thanks for having us. Of course. Wait, and who's the dog? This is Jojo. Jojo. Jojo. He's so cute.

Hey, Nicole, I kind of want to start off. We have something in common, super random. I don't know if you have the same feelings about it as I do, but we both studied civil engineering in college. Are you still doing that right now? No. No. Are you still doing it?

No, absolutely. I'm doing everything I can to not do that. Yes, I did not graduate with that. I'd agree, you agree, though. It's so tough. I was like, a year. And I was like, I can't do this. Yeah.

It's funny, because I feel like we're both kind of in a similar situation where, well, we studied kind of like the concrete science, you know, whatever, like genre. And then we're, we're mated with some creatives. Is made a weird word to use? Yeah, it's weird. Sorry. Yeah. Okay.

So we always start these couple things. It's just, you guys, we're going to ask you all these questions to just basically tell us all the stuff you love about each other. How did you guys meet? Well, we knew each other from like mutual friends. We kind of moved to Nashville around the same time as each other. So we kind of, Nashville was a little bit different about five years ago. Yeah. So everyone kind of knew each other.

It was kind of a smaller group, I feel like. And now it's just kind of crazy. It's turning to Bachelorette town. She's not a joke. Very terrible now. Yeah. And we kind of met through mutual friends, but we were dating other people, so it never, like, went past it. And then we were down in Florida for a songwriters festival one year.

We were both single, and he kind of just, I was leaving a songwriters round, and he was walking up late to it. And he was by and I was just like, hey, come like hang out with us. like, why are you by yourself? Yeah, I look bad, too. And I'm not saying something. Wait, do you remember what you're wearing exactly? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

Can you explain it? I was wearing camo gym shorts from Walmart. I mean, hey. Classy, classy stuff. I thought that's great. And then like the oldest t-shirt that I own, probably. That's what I was wearing. It had holes in it.

Oh, no. Wait, don't people call that vintage? now. So you were actually on trend. How about that? Yeah, I was actually up on my fashion. Yes. Yes. Um, well, I like the deal as the gym shorts were only like $5. So I love it. You know, I was thrifty, you know? Yes. Like hanging out after that. We like hung out the whole night and I was just like, hi, you get to know this guy. And so we just kind of started talking from there.

And this was back in 2016. here we are that yes yes yes we started dating them yeah it might sound creepy for me to say that but that is what the wikipedia said so i was guessing it's oh look i Wikipedia about myself the other day and i'm like this is all wrong have you seen have you guys seen some fan made a youtube video about your guys's relationship have you seen this no oh yeah they debrief it start to finish would highly recommend it's great it's great it's like a docu series um it's it's creepishly like monotone it's like luke met Nicole in 2016 don't make fun of the guy yeah oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah hey listen so i was i was uh checking on an interview about the song beautiful crazy and

i understand the first well that song was written about Nicole and i understand the first well that song was written about Nicole and I understand the first time you played it for her you made sure that she had a friend there can you talk to us about that strategy because I really respect that yeah it was I mean it was listen that I think that's a solid move for anybody else to put the pressure on to be like you've got to react at least you got to pretend like you like it I had a lot of wine this night and he waited until like the end of the night and I was like okay it just felt like the right thing to do you know how wait how soon after you guys had met did this song happen probably after we met is like after we had been dating for probably four months three months okay

hanging out for three or four months probably that time so is this like the first big move that you made probably like the first like really serious thing I would think yeah I'm embarrassed to say this my parallel to that situation Luke I used to write Sean poems should I read one you don't want me to read it live no no no it's probably better that yeah we'll keep those private but it it didn't it didn't even scratch the surface of the success that you had publicly unfortunately oh in the marketplace these days you know yeah it's It's a tough market for sure. Nicole, I'm curious, the favorite lyric that Luke may have written about you,

is it the beautiful part? Is it the crazy part? Which of those? You know what? My favorite part is when at the end, when he really puts the nail in the coffin, when he says crazy about three times, I think he is. And then he brings on a day. Oh, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. I'm curious, has there been other lyrics? inspired by the relationship that have either caused arguments or been flattery? I mean, there's multiple songs that I'm just like, or have like made me cry. I'm not like an emotional person, so that was a lot. But I feel like you haven't released for the two. Oh, the one?

I've got a few in the chamber. Yeah. you know oh shoot but none that have caused arguments good good look to really tap into the female market have you ever thought about writing a song just just about a dog like just about your dog i haven't considered that but i've heard some good ones there are some good ones out there yeah sure i feel like if i wanted to tap into the female marketplace i'd just write about dry shampoo and I would love to hear that song. Hold on.

Wait, so there's some backstory. You guys met at a songwriting festival. Nicole, so are you writing songs? No. Okay. So I just was down there because I knew like,

they put the festival on the company she used to work for. I got. So you work for her, Luke. Is that what you're saying? In essence, yes. Yes.

Okay. Yeah. well okay so you guys started dating around 2016 so met started dating you guys then fast forward and Luke your career blows up i mean you become the artist i mean we love your music i didn't have anything going on when we met i mean i didn't have a record deal or a publishing deal or anything which which is almost a beautiful thing for your relationship because you guys were able to build your foundation in each other before I mean chaos set in can you talk about like the dynamic between your relationship being tested because you got comfortable without the chaos and then had to have all this external chaos put on you guys how did that affect your relationship I mean it was pretty wild to be honest I mean it's hard enough to do by yourself I feel like you know changes your life in ways that you could have never imagined you know and so to be a new you know i mean we were still you know

know getting to know each other and growing when it was kind of going like this too so it was like then we moved in together at that time she was still working full time i was on the road all the time so it was like it was just this crazy like period that i'm like glad we're passed you know there's a lot she goes on the road all the time now which is so great you know we've done that for a year so we've we've gotten used to living in small like quarters together yeah yeah quarantine's not bad yeah this is right yeah hold on so you only traveled with him for a year Nicole and then before that you were oh so far I got you so when we started dating I was working jobs so I'd work at BMI Friday that's the music industry

so you're not making that much money and I was bartending Friday night night, Saturday, Sunday. So, like, I didn't have time to go on the road or take days off, really. So, and that was when we were just, like, just starting out. So, and then I've been, I quit BMI last year. And then I went on the road with him full time. And then here we are. So I've just been up for a year. What's relationship like on the road? Living in a bus in close quarters traveling to concert up to concert up to concert having that lifestyle um i mean it's i don't know i feel like we work together really well like being in small being in that like small bus is it really like tough for us we kind of make it work um but i mean typical day we just

wake up eight workout and apps if you have this i don't know we just Trying to make the best of it. Yeah, just figure it out, you know? I mean, it's like every day is different. I mean, now we're, you know, she started going out when we were kind of like, you know, I mean, she started, when she got on the road full time, like we had the most space that we've ever had as far as we've got six buses and five trucks at that time. And I've got my own green room and my own showers.

it wasn't always like that before it was like we would have rent a van and there might not even be so it's nice because we're able to have we have our own bus we have our own bedroom our own bathroom on the bus everybody else is sharing bunk space and dressing room so luckily we don't have to we don't have to do that so we have the space that we need it's still not a lot of space but it's a lot more than everyone else has you know yeah I when the first year Sean I got married I was playing with the Raiders and she was going on this tour with the Olympics and it was super stressful because I feel like in those situations where one person I don't know is like really pursuing their dream it's so helpful to have another person there like to just fully support and so ultimately I ended up getting cut from the Raiders and was able to travel with Sean on the tour and it was it was it was was good because otherwise there's so much tension I feel like at least with her she would perform in front of you know 40,000 people and she she's on this high because she's doing like such a unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity every night and then and then I'm you know a thousand miles away from her when I wasn't with her and it's like I want to I want to support you whatever I can I want to be happy for you but I can't like it put this weird tension in our

relationship so I'm pumped that you guys are able to do that together I feel like I that was helpful for us to go through together yeah we basically did the same thing i felt the same exact way because i was i mean i stayed at home for it was it was two years pretty much while he was in his career was growing and growing and i wanted to be there for all those like first moments and stuff yeah like big moments especially you know yeah and they're like miss her not being there you know what i mean like yeah i feel like you're getting to do all this exciting stuff then you don't get to be with the person that you want to do all this exciting stuff I feel like it's also interesting and hard dynamic too because when you are on the road

without your significant other and this exciting stuff happens you want to share it but you also don't want to be that person that's calling them every night and being like guess what happened it was the coolest day ever and but yet you do it was always it was always confusing for me because I didn't want to make him feel guilty for not being there but I wanted to share it with them it's just a hard dynamic balancing that lifestyle apart your career was climbing and you guys had just started dating you guys led a more normal life probably back then now it's like the chaotic life of superstar fandom it's more normal now really yeah because we're good better all the time so it's like you know if i'm going to australia she's going to up for you know

mean. So now it's kind of like our normal life is just doing that stuff, you know, which I like that, you know. It feels easier easier now than it did then. Wow. We have, we, we, we've interviewed quite a few couples who have interesting dynamics of like living on the road, whether they're athletes or actresses or, and just figuring out the relationship side, what is it like living in a fishbowl is what I always say. So every single person has their opinion. Every single person writes a tabloid story based off

of what you ate for dinner or how you did your hair. How does that affect your guys' relationship? Which looks great today by the way, Luke. That looks real great. It's been a lot of time getting ready. I mean, it is weird because everyone

and they only see like a certain side of your relationship and it's what you decide to put out there. And because they're not here every day with us like in the bus, in our house. Like they don't see that side of it. So they only see like what we decide to put out. And it's like they have their opinions on it. If I don't put out enough, they think we've broken up. Like it's weird and it's something that I haven't like gotten comfortable with yet. she doesn't love the spotlight yeah which i don't either you know but i don't really have a choice

so yeah you know part of my job i guess so it's it's just like people just look into stuff too much like they look for things that aren't there it feels like to me they die they analyze everything that's posted or every picture about what does this mean is there a deeper meaning to this you know and so it's like that's just kind of strange in my opinion but you know that's what people are into that's what they're into yeah is there a way you guys have talked through that or figured out a way to balance it again referencing I mean some other couples that we've talked to they've figured out boundaries of we're going to post this but we won't ever post this we're going to share this side of our life

but not this have you guys figured out what best suits your relationship I don't think we've ever really felt the need to talk about it no good just like I mean things we wouldn't post like if it's like a security thing or something like yeah yeah we're not going to do stuff like that but like so like I feel like that'll start coming into play when we like have children yeah yeah a whole different thing so I'm sure you guys know that yes a kid makes it all weirdly complicated yeah Yeah.

For the best part, for the best way. Yeah, I just think about little stuff, you know what I mean? Like, I hate having to think about, like, where are we going to go eat dinner or, like, you know, like, you just have to every thing that's a big deal. Have you guys heard of Uber Eats or Postmates yet? Because it's pretty clutch. No, we don't have it out here. Oh, dang. That's brutal.

I'd love to hear, it's my understanding you guys got engaged. in the beautiful environment of a kitchen. I'd love to hear the story if you'd like to share. Oh, I got the story if you want to hear it. Yes, please. I've never told this story, by the way. You ever told this full story? Really?

Hey, listen, no pressure. Okay, I'll tell you. Yeah, I want to hear it. It's not cute. It is, but it's not like... It was supposed to be that, but it wasn't that. which I think makes it better so it was the day that we were

moving from our apartment that we lived in in Nashville to this house that we bought so that was November almost yeah yeah so it was we bought the place

we closed on it the guy that was living here he had to live here for a little bit longer after the closing date so I mean we I was on the road or anyway so we move in like day of so we had we hired a moving company to move all our stuff from our apartment to the new house so in the meantime we went to my manager's house to spend the day there while they

were moving all the stuff it's about an hour apart you know so we had to bring the cats with us we had two cats we didn't have this guy and the cats do not travel well this house her cat peed in the crate and my cat threw up in the crate. Oh gosh. That was awesome. So we spent a big part of the morning giving them baths and cleaning them and, you know, they're all stressed out because we're at some strange house with a bunch of people and stuff. And so I had bought the cat's new collars with our new address on me.

She loves her cat more than anything in the world. She got in college named Buck. He always sits on her lap on the couch. And so I had had the ring and I was going to put it on the cat's collar, was the idea. Cute, very cute. On him when we got to the new house and everything, and he was going to jump up on her lap and everything. So on the way, about 10 o'clock at night rolls by, she's got work in the morning for the first time with an hour's drive into Nashville, where it used to be a five-minute drive.

And so we get to the house at 11 p.m. the night before she's got to go to work. There's just stuff everywhere. Our stuff is, the bed's piled up with clothes, the couch is in different pieces. And about halfway to the house, her cat, he's on himself again. Oh, no.

And having, like, a sort of panic attack. It was very I was actually panicking Where he started Heaving and like He was like just panting Hyperventilated and stuff Oh my gosh

Well she couldn't get him out of the crate Because he'd feed all over himself So this is getting It's a very heated moment Because we're in the middle of the wood He's getting mad at me I'm getting mad at him Oh my gosh

You know she doesn't know why I'm getting upset Yeah So she thinks I'm upset with the cat right getting mad at me because she's like don't blame the cats not his fault we get to the house and so i realize you know the cats are covered in pee they're in the shower closed in the shower they don't get it all over the house stuff's everywhere it's almost midnight her by the way her parents are flying in the next morning and i've already told them i'm going to ask her today oh no oh no

Oh, my gosh. So you can't delay it. Do the plan? Because her parents are going to show up. She's picking her parents up and they're going to be like, congratulations. Right. So I have to ask her at this point.

So I pretty much just told her what I was going to do. Is that right? Well, you were like, after I gave him their baths and everything, I was like, all right. He was like, okay, I also like, I got to. these you know collars for the cats new collars with the new whatever um address on it and he was like oh and i also got you this kitchen and then he bolts it out gets down on my knee does the whole thing i black out i don't remember this and so and i was just like my ears are hot like what's going on that's what she said my ears are hot

it was a lot i mean i wasn't expecting it at all like in the least bit especially not in that moment and uh i mean obviously i said yes but i was just like i thought you off guard it was yes i mean a night spent cleaning up cats and cat pee and then ends in a beautiful proposal just how you dreamed it right nico just how you dreamed it up I feel like girls we always set majorly extravagant expectations on proposals yes I mean in a wedding like I expected like I was as a kid I was like okay I'm going to have this wedding this is what it's going to be it's going to be great and I even started a Pinterest board when I was in college it's completely different now yeah yeah the old Pinterest board

now there's okay you know yeah so last three questions we always ask every couple you first have to choose who goes first without knowing the question no pressure okay okay okay Luke what is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to Nicole. Ooh, I like it. Um, sometimes I feel like she gets mad at me for nothing. Preach. Preach. Oh, God.

Okay, okay. Wait, now Nicole, what's your biggest pet peeve with Luke? Um. so like i'll i'll like clean up this whole room or something and then he'll leave like a shirt i knew i knew that's what it was like a dirty shirt yeah absolutely hamper's right there oh okay i tell this is a very common trend amongst all women because we always complain that they just i swear clothes fall off him as he walks to the house yeah and i've tried to like strategically place hamper's around the house and they always end up at like the foot of it.

I'm like, are you kidding me? Yeah. Just put it in the hamper. Right by our hamper. Yes, yes, but all the time. Throw it in the hamper and it doesn't get in there. Not good at who. So the whole point, he throwing it in the hamper is so I don't have to walk over to the

hamper. So what's this, I'm not going to walk over to the hamper because I already didn't want to walk over there. Yeah. over to the hamper. Yeah, same. At one point, we're going to be walking that stretch, you know?

But here's a thing, Luke, she'll say like, oh, you always leave all your clothes out and it's so messy. And then she'll complain on the other hand that I don't ever change clothes. And I'm like, well, which one is it,

Sean? I either have a lot of clothes that I leave out or I never change. Like, you can't have it both ways. For two days. Yeah. No, he goes to like five albums today.

I don't even know why. We're in quarantine. We shouldn't be going through five hours today. That'll be prepared, you know? Yeah, for sure. I do have to say we share agricultural interests. Again, I don't know if I don't know if I'm using the right words today. But it sounds like you guys have been busy kind of like tending to the chickens.

Is that right? So I wish. At the moment. What? We're having an escape issue at the moment. Oh, this is exciting. A little Shawshank Redemption? I don't really know how.

So trying to piece that together. Well, detectives Nicole and Luke on the scene. But so I walked into this marriage and my family were beekeepers. And Sean will have nothing to do with my hobby there. He tried to have like a whole bee farm on our property. And I was like, absolutely not. Completely reasonable. We are having bees at our house.

It would be pretty cool. He's actually talked about that. Yeah. I'll show you the ropes. There's a follow-up question to the pet peeve. Oh, yeah. What's the thing you love the most about each other? Ooh, am I going first?

Yeah. You don't have to just keep it to just want. Oh, not. It doesn't have to be disappointed. I love how she doesn't take any shit from anybody. Like, including myself, you know? Like, that's just pretty admirable to me. You know what I mean?

I mean, obviously, she's beautiful and she's funny. I mean, we know that, but she's, I don't know, she's just, she's just a boss, you know. I love that. I love about you. I feel like we're in therapy. I mean, he's very thoughtful. He makes me coffee every morning and loves me to give me breakfast. Like, he just cares.

He's very thoughtful, and he cares. I love that. I was impressed. I was listening to your interview with Bob. Bones and you seem to be a thoughtful gift giver. You gave him like some personalized shoes or something and it's like, you know what? I need to do a little better job at that. Sean used to be like that, but then we married each other and that was, that was the end of the road for the thoughtfulness. Just kidding. I'm kidding. He's like one of those people that like I'll say

something random and then he'll just put it like in his notes and his phone. And like when he wants to give a gift, he knows exactly what to get. And I am the worst. I'm so bad at that. like an anniversary or anything comes around i'm like oh no he has everything it's hard to get me gifts because like one when you when you do this like people want to give you stuff all time it's very i don't understand that okay i'm totally here for it but i'm so like if there's something i really want i just get it yeah and so she's like what am i supposed to get for a gift because you just bought that you want yeah it's a good point just handwritten card there you go macaroni art macarony art perfect yes Nicole the backup of what luke said i i i know there's been

at least one case of you publicly defending luke and like not not taking anything uh as far as yeah which is i just think it's super admirable but i'm excited uh for you guys and know you're engaged and planning the wedding, which I'm not excited about that for you. Maybe one of you enjoys it, maybe the other, but it's fun. Yeah. Anyway, it was a pleasure to talk to you guys. Thanks for giving us the time. Luke, I'll show you the bees. Maybe we could play rugby against each other. I was at outside center. So, oh, too fast. And then Nicole, if you were going to do some calculus problems or talk about, you know, the force and momentum for civil engineering, we can do that too. We can talk beekeeping. Yeah, there we go. Love that. Anyway, thanks for the time, guys.

good meeting you. Thanks for having us. You guys are awesome. Thank you so much. Congratulations.