Ben Gallaher triumphed when he made his national television debut in May, but in a new interview, he reveals that his performance was still very much up in the air just hours before the taping.

The singer-songwriter and guitarist made his national TV debut on The Kelly Clarkson Show on May 6, 2026, performing his current single, "I'll Take You."

The Taste of Country RISERS: 2026 Artists to Watch artist tells Taste of Country that he got so sick prior to his appearance that he could barely talk, much less sing.

"We flew in the night before, and I had been traveling pretty heavy," he relates.

"We land in New York, and my throat's feeling kinda funky all of a sudden. And I've been down this road before ... any singer is going to battle with that at some point."

READ MORE: Ben Gallaher Is One of the Best Guitarists in Country Music

As the night wore on, "It got progressively worse — and fast," Gallaher recalls. "Fast forward a couple of hours, I can barely talk.

"It was a crisis moment for sure, because this had to happen just before my national TV debut."

He was now experiencing problems with both his throat and his sinuses, so he and his publicist went to a pharmacy right near where they were staying in the heart of New York City.

"We spent $150 at Walgreen's Times Square," Gallaher says with a laugh. "Every remedy you could possibly think of. But really, the only thing that helps that is rest and time."

Fortunately, he was well enough the following morning to gradually warm up for several hours.

"At some point, you have to flip the switch and rock on," Gallaher says. "I mean, the show's happening."

Gallaher was able to overcome his vocal challenges and turn in a scorching performance that Clarkson praised lavishly.

He has nothing but praise for Clarkson and her team, calling the entire experience of working with them "second to none. I mean, Kelly is everything that anyone thinks she is and more. Great people."

Gallaher has just released a new project titled Ben Gallaher: Taylor Gold. The 7 new tracks feature him stripping down some of the songs from his 2025 Time album and other fan favorites in new acoustic versions.

He's also got live shows on the books in August and October, according to his official website.