Country singer Jake Owen addressed the elephant in the amphitheater on Saturday, Aug. 8, while he was performing at the WE Fest in Detroit Lakes, Minn. A day after announcing his divorce from his wife of three years, Lacey Buchanan, Owen, 33, took the stage, commenting about the tough time in his life.
“I’m going to say this real quick. I think maybe a lot of people would maybe shy away from it,” he began. “But I’ve been going through some weird stuff. My wife and I are getting a divorce and this is probably the hardest s—t I’ve ever done in my life. To walk on stage every night and try to pretend like everything is awesome when it really ain’t always awesome.”
Owen originally announced his decision to divorce via Twitter on Aug. 7. He wrote, “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. We appreciate your support and privacy in this matter.”
The “Beachin’” singer continued speaking to his audience, referencing Garth Brooks’ song “The Dance,” and praising his wife and daughter, 2.
“I love my wife more than anything in the world, and I love my little baby girl, Pearl, more than anything in the world,” he said. “If it wasn’t for both of them, I wouldn’t even be here right now. But that’s a dance that I’m glad I got to dance, and I’m glad you guys got to sing it with me tonight.”