Singers Dierks Bentley and Elle King share "Something in Common"

In this latest installment of “Something in Common,” “CBS This Morning” brings together two voices that cross genres. Dierks Bentley is a giant in country music, with 15 number one singles and 13 Grammy nominations. Elle King is one of the hottest new voices in rock. She’s the singer behind the infectious hit, “Ex’s and Oh’s.” 

The two are now sharing the studio and stage with the number one country single, “Different for Girls.” They took us along for the ride to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, where they discussed what they share in common.

Bentley: The song “Different For Girls’” — I had this great song that someone sent to me, and I’m trying to find a way to take this great song and take it somewhere unexpected. So I looked for someone weird.

King: Yeah. Ding, ding, ding! (Points to self.)

Bentley: And beautiful and talented and different.

King: Were you a little nervous though? Honestly.

Bentley: I had no idea what was going to come out of your mouth. I had no idea what people were going to think when they saw this, you know, rocker with blue hair, and tattoos everywhere. And for me, this is once-in-a-career thing where you just go for something and actually it works out better than you actually could’ve ever planned it — if you had, like, actually planned it.

Bentley: Obviously the song looks at it from one angle, about, you know, the way girls are a little bit stronger at kind of like...

King: We are!

Bentley: …recognizing their feelings and their emotions and going there, and guys kind of tend to brush ‘em off with alcohol and hook-ups and stuff. But listening to a lot of your songs, I’d say you’re not afraid to brush off some relationship drama with that.

King: I think I have the best of both worlds because I am a woman, but I’m also a tomboy. And I kind of — I grew up always hanging out with boys, and I always wanted to play rock ‘n’ roll with boys, and so I’ve always acted kind of like a man.

Bentley: “Different For Girls” is so different than “Ex’s & Oh’s.” “Ex’s & Oh’s” is almost like the flip side, opposite, right?

King: It is… kind of the opposite. I have done both, I’ve done the, like, “I’ll never live again” (fake cries), and I’ll drink and make out with anyone, and, like, not get out of bed for days. But then I’ve also done the, like, “Who cares? I don’t need you!” You’re happily married now, but back — I mean, even though you guys have been together forever — so back when you were in, like, fifth grade, how did you deal with a break up?

Bentley: I’m kind of like, in some ways, like, some of my worst breakups have been — I’m definitely the girl in “Different For Girls.”

King: You’re telling me, I know!

Bentley: You should sing my lines, I should be singing your lines.

King: Oh yeah.

Bentley: I mean my hair would be falling out, I lost all this weight. I kind of connect a little bit to like the, you know, to the female part of that song.

Watch the full interview to see the duo talk about the different genres of music the singers would be willing to try, their duet performance at the Grand Ole Opry and more.