Michael Stipe appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Thursday evening, bringing with him a performance of a brand new song, plus an update on his long-awaited debut solo album.
A title for the album has not been revealed yet, but Stipe noted that he’s currently “writing the final lyrics” and shared a bit about the music.
“One of the songs is the sound of a tree hearing itself for the first time,” he said. “It’s this confusing situation. My friend recorded a tree in my backyard in Georgia and played it back to itself, and so it sounds like Daft Punk.”
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Though Stipe did not mention a specific date, he said that the album will be released at the end of this year.
On Colbert’s show, Stipe performed a brand new song called “The Rest of Ever,” which is available for viewing below.
Why Has Michael Stipe’s Album Taken This Long to Make?
Though he’s put out a few songs over the years, this will be Stipe’s first ever solo release, and it’s a project he’s been working on for quite a while. In a recent interview with The Times, the former R.E.M. singer spoke about how the pandemic was a key factor in the delay of the album.
“Covid didn’t help,” he explained, “but I’m finishing it. When the band split, I just needed a break. I took five years but I got pulled back into music. It’s been a struggle. That’s the main thing. I want it to be great, but I’ve got the pressure of having been in R.E.M. and it’s a high bar, because I want this to be as good as that, and that’s near impossible. So it’s f***ing exciting but also terrifying, and I’m doing the music for the first time, too, and I think I’m good at it but not great.”
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Gallery Credit: UCR Staff
