When Charles Kelley began working on his solo album, the Lady A member was discovering a fresh perspective on the life around him.
“The one [song] that really kicked off the project the most and encompasses kind of everything I was going for with this record is the first song called ‘Can’t Lose You,’” Kelley, 43, exclusively shared with Us Weekly before the release of Songs for a New Moon. “I said, ‘Guys, I want to write about my journey.’”
That journey included a stay at a treatment center for alcohol. In August 2022, Lady A — which consists of Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood — announced the postponement of their tour to support Kelley’s “journey to sobriety.”
While receiving professional help, Kelley said he had an important realization about what really matters to him.
“I had this moment where after about a week or two, I just was like, ‘I don’t even care what happens with my career anymore, anything,’” he recalled to Us. “All I know is that when I come home, if I can’t come home to my wife and my kid, and if I can’t make this right and get back on track, that’s all I want in this world. I cannot lose you.”
Charles Kelley Alysse Gafkjen
“I think I’ve always put this career ahead of everything else, and I think it was the first time in my life where I was like … there’s so much more to life and that the most important thing in my life is my wife and my kid,” Kelley continued. “It really kickstarted a theme to the whole record.”
Charles and McConnell Kelley have been married since June 2009. They share 9-year-old son Ward and announced in March that they are expecting baby No. 2.
While Charles acknowledges there are some “heavy” songs on his new solo album, there are also “hopeful” tracks demonstrating how far he’s come.
“‘Covering My Tracks’ is the next one up that really is talking about getting past the past, just moving past that and looking forward and never wanting to go back there again,” he said. “There are songs about redemption. There are songs about forgiveness and gratitude.”
Charles Kelley Gus Black
The ’80s pop–inspired project also celebrates creative freedom, as Charles teases Phil Collins, Bryan Adams, Toto and Michael McDonald helped influence some of the sounds on the record.
“Nothing makes me feel better than the sound of the ’80s and a little bit of that yacht rock kind of feel,” he explained. “A lot of the songs [from] the ’80s are just some of the most well-written, melodic and intricate chord structures.”
During his candid interview with Us, Charles said that briefly stepping away from music in 2022 helped make it clear what his priorities should be going forward.
While he assures fans that Lady A isn’t done touring or making new music, Charles is simply enjoying the present.
“It just made me look at life in a whole different journey of what really matters in life, what really excites you and what you want to stand for,” he said. “I think I want to stand for someone who hopefully can leave a little positivity in this world. … We are all going to make mistakes. We’re all going to struggle with stuff. But I just appreciate where I am and what I’ve accomplished more than I used to.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
