SINGER-songwriter Michael Clifford of 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) releases his debut solo single Cool, along with an accompanying official video via Hopeless Records. The release coincides with the announcement of his debut solo album Sidequest, coming soon.
Co-produced by Michael alongside JT Daly (Demi Lovato, Benson Boone, Alex Warren) and Andrew Goldstein (Tate McRae, Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Barker) as well as co-written with his 5SOS bandmate and best man Calum Hood, Cool marks the beginning of Clifford’s solo career as he steps out on his own and reintroduces himself to the world as an artiste with his own unique sound and perspective. Cool explores self-doubt and the often uncomfortable process of navigating insecurity, capturing the uncertainty of trying to fit in, questioning whether you belong and feeling out of place in unfamiliar spaces.
Clifford shared: “This song speaks for itself and my hope is that when fans hear the lyrics, they will understand me and hopefully themselves a little better. I have been deliberating on this music long enough, so I cannot wait for everybody to hear it and ‘cool’ is just the beginning of what is to come. I want this project to make people smile. I am just out here doing a bunch of sidequests. Now that I am a dad, everything other than that feels like a sidequest!”
The music video, directed by Bobby Hanaford, brings this sentiment to life.
Hanaford said: “It is rare you get to work with an artiste who is willing to play a bit of the fool and turn a mirror on themselves. The moment I heard ‘cool’, I realised Michael was already there and really letting his guard down. He was using the critic in his head to take us on this journey of insecurity that every person can relate to.
It was a quick process seeing a video that matched it and it was a good collaboration with Michael going deeper into that idea and bringing it to life. The whole project is a breath of fresh air, especially in an industry that is often more concerned with looking ‘cool’ than being authentic.”
With its playful pop-punk energy, Cool highlights Clifford’s fresh new sound, marking an exciting evolution in his music.
