New music from American Idol season 10 alum Paul McDonald. The singer/songwriter writes on Instagram, “Big news… My new album Modern Hearts is coming out June 1st! Also, the brand new music video for “Wildcard” directed by the mastermind @jasonleedenton is out today. I’m so excited about letting this music out into the world.”
“My life was the inspiration for this album,” Paul told HollywoodLife in a recent interview. “When I went through that transitional period back in 2014, I documented everything in song.” Paul is referring to the end of his marriage to Nikki Reed, breakup of his band, and subsequent move from Los Angeles to East Nashville.
“It was all inspired by my own experiences that I was going through,” he said. “The ups and downs of heartbreak, lost love, new love, re-birth, and the overall changing of the seasons. You could say it’s a breakup album, but it’s also very hopeful and has a lot of positive moments documenting the spiritual and artistic uplift that I experienced during that chapter of my life.”
The singer’s four years in Los Angeles after American Idol were an “emotional roller coaster,” which left him in a “dark headspace.” Paul told Hollywood Life, “It took me nearly three years and a few hundred songs to climb out of that hole, but I finally made it out alive. Finishing the album was a definitive milestone and a moving on marker. It probably saved my life.”
Wild Hearts’ 14 tracks, include “Wildcard” and three others that Paul has already released (“Call On Me,” “New Lovers” and “Hold On”). Pre-orders of the album includes all four songs.
“This is my favorite album that I’ve ever made,” Paul said. “So I’m just excited to get it out into the world!”
Watch the “Wildcard” music video below.
