Thompson Square isn’t a real place, exactly. It’s the musical territory staked out by the husband-and-wife duo of Keifer and Shawna Thompson, an exciting and unpredictable area where country meets rock, rough meets smooth and one vagabond heart finds a harmonious common ground with another. It’s the sweet destination where two journeys end and another one begins. “It’s the place where we create our thing, a little fantasyland where we live,” Keifer says.

And now the rest of us get to discover that magical place, starting with the duo’s new self-titled debut album. Fans began truly getting to know their way around Thompson Square with the release of the infectious radio smash “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” a fitting introduction to the Thompsons’ natural chemistry and spirit of buoyant romance. Things have happened very quickly since then: they’ve been rapturously received as an opening act on superstar Jason Aldean’s tour, packed high-energy shows of their own and seen the “Kiss Me” video become a favorite on CMT and GAC. Perhaps most emotional for the duo was their debut performance on the legendary Grand Ole Opry. “That was bucket-list stuff,” says Shawna. “That’s something you dream about all your life.” The suddenness of their success belies the fact that—separately and together—Keifer and Shawna have been learning their craft in Nashville for a decade. “To see it paying off right now is elating,” Keifer says. “Every day I try to take a little time, soak it all in and say thanks.”

Every day now, more and more fans are getting a taste of that “real stuff” and deciding they like what they hear—and the Thompsons couldn’t be happier or more grateful. “A year ago we were bartending down on Broadway,” Keifer says. “To go from behind the bar to the other side of the world, it’s been difficult to grasp the magnitude of what’s going on. We just try to put out songs that we love, and we hope our fans will like them too. The rest is in God’s hands.”