Lady Antebellum will release their third album, Own the Night, on Tuesday (September 13th), and the title has been described by the band as a “call to action.” So, we asked the band how they would describe how they each own the night. While there were similarities, for example, when they perform for their fans, they do “own the night” in different ways. “I think the trick is learning how to own the night on the normal nights,” Hillary Scott explains. ”In my personal life, turning off my cell phone and just being present in the moment with my fiancé at dinner, or watching a movie, or cooking dinner at home and just relaxing. It’s truly a state of mind.” For the married Charles Kelley, it’s spending time at home. “The nights I remember now more than anything now are the nights being with my wife,” he says. “We cook out, and it’s just the two of us, and we’re sitting there eating in front of the TV watching our favorite show, and it’s just very special. There’s something very nice about that.” Dave Haywood says those nights on stage performing for fans are extraordinary to him. “It’s easy just to kind of get on stage and forget where you are and what you’re doing,” he explains. “But I think when we’re in these live show scenarios, finding just that energy of making a special moment that night and making something that hopefully people will remember and having that connection with them that will be a memorable night.”

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott says “owning the night” is about those “normal” nights when she’s not on stage or in the studio.

Lady A (Owning the Night) OC: …takes work. :47

“For me, owning the night can be anything from, for example, the Grammy’s — having that experience and feeling on top of the world and feeling almost like it was an out-of-body experience, but those nights are very rare. I think the trick is learning how to own the night on the normal nights. Every night during our shows, looking out into the audience and finding those people who, they’re just glowing. They’re having such a great time and focusing on them. And then in my personal life, turning off my cell phone and just being present in the moment with my fiancé at dinner, or watching a movie, or cooking dinner at home and just relaxing. It’s truly a state of mind. It’s a mindset that you kind of let yourself get into, and sometimes it takes work.” 

AUDIO: As their lives get crazier because of their success, Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley explains how he “Owns the Night” at home.

Lady A (Owning the Night-Charles) OC: …cool thing. :32

CK: “Honestly, for me, the nights I remember now more than anything now are the nights that being with my wife. We cook out and it’s just the two of us. And we’re sitting there eating in front of the TV watching our favorite show, and it’s just very special. There’s something very nice about that. And also, too, just nights out with the band. And we go out and you feel like, ‘Man, we’re really doing it.’ We’re all out having a drink together and celebrating a great show and just soak it up. Like being in a traveling band, this has been a dream of mine forever. And to be out there really doing it, and recognizing that, is a cool thing.”

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum’s Dave Haywood explains how he “Owns the Night” on the road.

Lady A (Owning the Night-Dave) OC: …memorable night. :28

“Yeah. I think when we’re on the road, too, just enjoying and finding the uniqueness in each of the shows that we play, and not just going through the motions. It’s easy just to kind of get onstage and forget where you are and what you’re doing. But I think when we’re in these live show scenarios, finding just that energy of making a special moment that night and making something that hopefully people will remember and having that connection with them that will be a memorable night.”