Lady Antebellum are definitely back. Although the trio of Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood took much of 2016 off, they agree that the time away before reconvening to work on their upcoming new album, Heart Break, made them stronger, both as friends and as a band.

"It made me appreciate what we created," Kelley, who released The Driver in February of 2016, recently told The Boot and other reporters. "I was out doing a handful of solo shows, in much smaller venues and clubs and stuff. It was very refreshing and exciting, but you’re not playing an hour and a half [of] songs that everybody knows -- the hits -- and the energy and having people to play off of, I really missed it ... It was a lot of fun, but it was exhausting, having to reintroduce yourself, so to speak. It really made me appreciate the impact that our band [has made], and the level that we have gotten to and all of that hard work stuff.

"I missed it a lot," he continues. "I missed Dave and Hillary and the creative process."

Adds Scott, who recently won two Grammys for her Love Remains album, also released in 2016, "I think we grew as individuals. I know I grew as a singer; singing with my parents and my little sister pulled me out of my comfort zone ... It’s like we all had our own space to grow as individuals, all the way knowing we were going to reconvene, and that was the plan all along.

"I think we’re coming in more confident," Scott notes. "I think we’re coming in, like Charles was saying, just so appreciative of everything that we’ve been able to accomplish, and those that have helped us get here, our team -- We’re so blessed. "

With the debut single from Heart Break, "You Look Good," already climbing the charts, Lady A say that they have a new appreciation for what they have created together over the last decade.

"I think, for me, things have kind of shifted from an obligation to an appreciation now," says Haywood. "We have that perspective of, we get to do this ... I think we have that perspective now of appreciating these opportunities a little bit ... We have that perspective of, this is such a blessing that we get to do this, not that we have to do it."

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While making Heart Break, Lady Antebellum lived together, mostly without their families, in both Florida and Los Angeles. Instead of growing tired of their togetherness, the threesome found that they enjoyed the camaraderie and closeness.

"I mean, I probably couldn’t be more different, in so many ways, than Hillary and Dave, but, for some reason, we just kind of vibe, and we really, truly like to be around each other," Kelley says. "There’s so many stories of bands, even bands with brothers, that just can’t stand to be around each other. That would be miserable; I can’t imagine walking onstage and not wanting to be on the same stage as somebody. And so, not to say we don’t ever have our moments where you’re annoyed by each other, but ..."

"We respect each other," Haywood interjects. "I think the talents that everybody brings to the table, the sum of the parts, is so strong, and I think we all respect everything that we all bring to make this band work, and to continue to do that."

Lady Antebellum will kick off their You Look Good World Tour on May 26 in Bakersfield, Calif., with Kelsea Ballerini and Brett Young serving as their opening acts. Heart Break will be released on June 9.

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