Derek Hough broke down the thought and care that went into choosing the song for him and his wife Hayley Erbert‘S Dancing with the stars performance.

“It’s funny because when I was trying to come up with a song, I actually had a little bit of trouble with it, to be honest. Then I heard this rendition,” Hough, 39, shared exclusively We weekly on Tuesday, October 15, about choosing Benson Boone“Beautiful Things” song. “It was a very stripped-down version.”

Hough recalled his initial reaction to the song, adding, “I thought, ‘Wait, I feel like I’m hearing the song for the first time.’ I’ve heard this song so many times, it’s almost overplayed. But it’s a great song and then I heard this. I thought, ‘Wait, I actually hear the lyrics and the lyrics tell the story so beautifully.’ So then I added strings, violins and cellos to add some more emotion.

The music “really helped tell the story” as Hough and Erbert, 29, performed for the first time since her brain surgery.

Related: Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert’s relationship timeline

Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert captivated audiences with their chemistry long before they started dating. Hough first came into contact with Erbert after she was cast as a dancer in his and his sister Julianne Hough’s Move Live Tour in 2014. By July 2015, they were a couple. The couple performed together as part of Derek’s Fall 2021 (…)

“It’s always so special to be back in the ballroom, but especially tonight after such a crazy year,” Erbert noted. “Being here last year for the final and everything happening the day after, it really feels like a full circle moment. It was just beautiful to feel the energy. And a lot of people have supported us throughout this whole journey, so I’m always grateful.”

In a video played ahead of their performance, Hough recalled seeing Erbert “having full-on seizures and basically dying” backstage during his Symphony of Dance Tour in December 2023. She was rushed to the hospital where she underwent a procedure .

“It was a crazy moment to look back at that package and look at the images we shared tonight. We haven’t really shared those photos or images yet. So it was the beginning of telling the full story,” Hough shared with us. “There is so much more to tell. But when you see those images, do you think, ‘Oh wow, we’re here in the ballroom and we’re about to do a dance performance.’

He continued: “At those times we didn’t think this would be possible. So fast forward to the present here, and it was just incredible. The journey we have been on to get to this point is incredible. The struggles, the highs and lows and it was remarkable to see her go through it all with such grace.”

After their emotional dance, the couple reflected on how the health scare “changed so many things” in their relationship.

“I will say one of the biggest things throughout the whole recovery process was just being grateful for everything in our lives. In such a difficult time you can still be grateful for so much beauty that we have. And that’s what we really focused on,” Erbert explains. “All this has made us stronger as a couple. It was so beautiful to see him in a nurturing role, and he was truly the reason why I got through all of this. He was my rock throughout this entire process. I am grateful and it makes me love him even more. It made me appreciate him more and I’m just grateful.”

Hough, meanwhile, revealed his new outlook on life, adding: ‘Not waiting for things (is something I’ve been striving for). Even recently it was her 30th birthday and she always wanted to go somewhere. We are creating a brand new tour and we are in the middle of one DWTS season. You couldn’t pick a worse time to take her on a trip and surprise her. … (But) we’re going away (for) four days to celebrate her 30th birthday and celebrate life, because we’re really not promised tomorrow. For me that was a big moment because I was always like, ‘Oh, we’ll do it another time.’ It’s like, ‘No, if this is something we’re doing, we’re doing it now, because you never know.’”

Dancing with the stars will simulcast on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8pm ET. Episodes can be streamed the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

With reporting by Carly Konsker