Darius Rucker has gone public with a new relationship, sharing an Instagram photo with singer Emily Deahl

Darius Rucker, who abruptly ended a concert in July, has gone public with a new relationship.

The Hootie & the Blowfish frontman and longtime country star, 59, shared a photo on Instagram this week showing him alongside Emily Deahl.

The post, captioned “Wizard of Oz at @spherevegas with my love & my boys. 1000/10!!!!!!,” left little doubt about their status.

Rucker, who split from his former wife Beth Leonard in 2020, has kept most of his personal life private in recent years.

Deahl, like Rucker, is from South Carolina.

According to her social media, she works as a singer and songwriter.

Reports from Taste of Country noted that fans had already noticed subtle hints of their relationship before the post.

One of the strongest clues involved Rucker’s dogs, Freddie and Larry.

He had posted about them last year, and Deahl later shared pictures that showed her walking the same pair.

Many followers expressed support.

“Happiness looks good on ya!” filmmaker Justin Wheelon wrote in response. Another fan added, “Beautiful. ‘I only wanna be with you’ rings true here.”

Others criticized the age difference between the two. Some users questioned whether Deahl was too young for the singer. “Really???” one person wrote. Another asked, “Is that his daughter?”

“Is your team working hard to hide negative comments?” one follower wrote.

The Grammy-winning artist has balanced a solo country career and occasional Hootie & the Blowfish reunions.

He has also been active in philanthropy, raising money for children’s hospitals and other causes.

Rucker has not publicly responded to criticism about his relationship.