"What’s It Gonna Take" by featuring Mitchell Tenpenny is a story about the stubborn, non-linear nature of heartbreak. Released in 2023 on the album One Night in Nashville , the song depicts a man stuck in the "six-month" mark of a breakup, realizing that traditional remedies aren't working. The Emotional Narrative
The story follows a protagonist who is doing everything "right" according to the post-breakup handbook but still finds himself haunted by his ex:
: He tries the "rebound" strategy—meeting new people and "stealing a kiss"—but finds that these distractions only make him feel worse the next morning. Cheat Codes _ Mitchell Tenpenny - What_s It Gon...
: The track was co-written by Mitchell Tenpenny along with Aaron Gillespie, Nick Bailey, Kyle Fishman, and Andy Albert.
The song was born from a larger project where the electronic trio traveled to Nashville to bridge the gap between dance music and country. "What’s It Gonna Take" by featuring Mitchell Tenpenny
: Despite people telling him he just needs to "give it time," he has already given it six months and feels no closer to moving on.
: Cheat Codes initially planned to record just one song in Nashville, but they felt so welcomed by the community that it grew into a full 14-track album. : The track was co-written by Mitchell Tenpenny
: He can't drive down her street without reflexively checking her driveway to see who is parked there.