Caleb Lee Hutchinson released a five-track EP in 2021 titled Slot Machine Syndrome and a six-track EP in 2022 titled Songs I’ll Never Play Again, and now the Georgia native released his first full length project, titled Southern Galactic, on October 27, which beautifully showcases his sincerity, charisma, humor and wisdom.
Hutchinson dished all about his Southern Galactic in an exclusive interview with Music Mayhem, spilling all of the behind-the-scenes secrets prior to its release.
Southern Galactic
“I am absolutely overjoyed to announce that my debut album, Southern Galactic, will be all y’all’s 10/27… It has been many years of immeasurable highs and crippling lows. It wasn’t all that long ago I was really considering giving up. Lots of prayers prayed and tears shed. Through the love of God, my family, my friends and all of you, I am feeling better than ever as both a man and an artist. This record encapsulates this period of my life, and making it was the most rewarding and gratifying things I have ever done. Thank you to a true hero of mine, @titanicsinclair for producing this record. Thank you to my team for working so hard and believing in me. I hope you all love it as much as we do,” the emerging artist announced via Instagram on September 8th.
Just a few weeks after this exciting announcement, the American Idol alum explained the meaning behind the forthcoming record to Music Mayhem.
He detailed, “Southern Galactic is my first full length record, and it’s just kind of all about the themes of this past year, but really I guess the past five years since I moved to Nashville, and all the great people I’ve got to meet and write songs with… Thematically, all the songs kind of range from good times, bad times and in-between times, so I’m really excited about it.”
“It’s probably the most personal thing I’ve ever put out, but it’s also the most fun thing I’ve put out, which feels good,” Hutchinson continued. “I got a lot of not fun music, which I’m a sucker for some sadness, but it’s good to, you know, be dipping into some better vibes type stuff.”
Capturing who Caleb Lee Hutchinson is in a truly poetic way, Southern Galactic is sure to solidify the talented singer/songwriter’s place within the country music industry.
Narrowing down the tracks on Southern Galactic
Contrary to popular belief, picking the songs that would be featured on his debut album came fairly easy to the 24-year-old, as they all captured a pivotal period in his life.
“All these songs were written in the past year, and it was kind of a tumultuous period of my life, just on a personal level,” the country troubadour prefaced. “It sounds a little cliché, but it was a year full of self growth and self discovery. I think it allowed me to approach music in a better way, just more personal and easier to kind of reflect on everything and the truth, so that’s sort of what all brought it together in terms of the songs.”
Then, the rising country star dished about how vulnerable said songs are, and what it was like opening up for this forthcoming record.
“I think the musicians and songwriters and bands that I love and look up to the most, especially from a songwriting perspective, are just really honest… think that’s kind of the thing that got me into music and got me interested in songwriting was just, you know, kind of relaying these ideas that are personal and other people hearing it and it relating to their lives, because I think most of us are much more similar than we are different,” Hutchinson shared.
“[I] know in my own personal experience as a listener, there’s been so many times that I’ve listened to people’s records or listened to songs and thought, ‘Man, this is kind of all about me,’ and clearly it wasn’t, so I think the truth is just something that’s very important to me [and] I don’t ever want to even try to pretend I’m a different type of way or any of those things [and] I think with this being the debut record, I just wanted it to be very myself and that way I could stand behind it, whether people love it or hate it or whatever,” the country crooner concluded.
Southern Galactic Track List
- Silverado
- Natural Man
- Things To Burn
- I Miss You
- At Least I’m Drunk
- Good At Being Bad
- Far Away From Her
- Quarter Life Crisis
- Get Stoned
- Rodeo Clown
- Used Too
- She Didn’t Drink With Me
“Silverado” and “Good At Being Bad”
Out of all of the songs featured on Southern Galactic, Caleb Lee Hutchinson released the first two a month prior: “Silverado” and “Good At Being Bad.”
“‘Silverado’ and ‘Good At Being Bad’ are finally out in the world 🌎 Thank you for all the love and support on these two! I cannot wait for what’s next to come… #Silverado #GoodAtBeingBad #SouthernGalactic #NewMusicFriday,” he shared.
While “Silverado” and “Good At Being Bad” were the first two tracks to stem from Southern Galactic (quickly becoming fan-favorites), Caleb Lee Hutchinson did not pinpoint either of them as the most meaningful to him on the record.
“I Miss You”
Instead, a track titled “I Miss You” took the cake as the rising country star’s favorite song, and it doubled as the third single to stem from the project itself.
“There’s a song on there called ‘I Miss You,’ which is not by Blink182,” the Georgia native joked, before diving into the meaning behind the track.
“That was one where I was just really down and facing a lot of feelings and insecurities and whatnot, and that was when I wrote all by myself… I remember right after I wrote it, I just felt so much better. It felt super cathartic, I guess, to write it, and you know, I played that song for people who’ve experienced heartbreak and loss and those kinds of things, and it seems to really resonate with them,” Hutchinson spilled.
Coming from a place of honesty, “I Miss You” is truly nothing short of spectacular.
Never give up
Southern Galactic as a whole is meant to have a profound impact on those who listen to it, regardless of their background.
“I don’t want to sound like too cliché or anything, but I think the biggest takeaway I’ve gotten from the record is, you know, basically a year ago, I was in one of the worst states I had been personally and creatively and everything else,” the 24-year-old singer/songwriter explained. “It’s the closest I’ve ever been in my life to go ’Is this worth it? Is this something I really want to do?’ and I think just having the faith to, you know, do the work personally and musically and everything else, It really got me to a point that I’m very, very proud of.”
“I don’t think I could have made this record a year ago or two years ago or whenever, so I hope people can kind of see the ebbs and flow throughout the songs, but hopefully it delivers some kind of message of just, you know, not giving up, because there are certainly many times that I’ve faced that, and I know most people have hit a time in their life where they will want to just kind of give it all up, and I think this whole record is just about pushing on, pushing forward and having faith… I’m so happy with how this album turned out, so I feel like I’ve already won in a way,” Hutchinson concluded with a grin.
Fans can listen to Southern Galactic on their favorite music streaming platform now.
