Luke Hemmings has finally released his emotionally charged second solo EP, simply titled boy.
At 27, the esteemed 5 Seconds of Summer frontman is embracing the challenges of a solo career, refining his songwriting to express more with less, in contrast to his earlier solo efforts.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Hemmings shared insights from his home studio in LA, revealing the growth in his musical journey and the personal evolution that inspired boy. The EP, which delves into the nuances of entering late twenties, reflects on themes of maturity, self-reflection, and the impending challenges of fatherhood. Hemmings, now married to songwriter Sierra Deaton, explores these themes through a lens of youthful wonder yet mature introspection.
“…lately, I’ve been trying to get across more emotion with less words. In the past, I’ve tended to overcomplicate things lyrically by saying too much. A lot of these new songs aim to be as concise as possible,” Hemmings explained.
“As I get older and [I’m] thinking about having kids at some point, I’m reflecting on myself at that age, still being that struggling boy deep down inside. There can be a tendency, especially for men as they get older, to bottle things up inside and not address them until it’s maybe past the point of no return.
“This EP is about uncovering emotions or experiences from my younger years, getting in touch with that inner boy, that inner child, so to speak, in order to become a fully realised version of myself,” he continued.
Reuniting with producer Sammy Witte, Hemmings credited their established rapport for his EP’s evolved sound, drawing on influences from a diverse range of artists including LCD Soundsystem and The Verve.
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“The first time around, we felt like we were really experimenting, unsure where the sound would take us or if I’d even do a solo album. But with boy, I had less anxiety because I knew we could nail the sound I was after,” Hemmings said.
Elsewhere in the interview, Hemmings looked ahead to his upcoming run of Australian shows, which will see him head to Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane this June. Find out more about the tour here.
Luke Hemmings’ boy EP is out now.
