Jay Wheeler is thankful to be alive. On Friday, the musician released his album Girasoles, along with a video for his single “Abrázame Fuerte,” written about a car crash he survived last September.
“One of my favorites from the album,” he wrote on Instagram. “It’s a very special and personal song dedicated to God, my wife, and my daughter.“
The video opens with a scene inspired by how he survived a car accident last year. In the video, Wheeler sings to his daughter, who was born around the time of the car crash, from a car junkyard. “Hug me hard and never let me go/I’m scared without you and never want to lose you,” he sings in Spanish.
“Abrázame Fuerte” is included on Girasoles, his new album, which includes collaborations with Robi, Omar Courtz, and Shantty. Named “Sunflowers” in Spanish, the album goes through several stages: facing difficulties (represented by a seed being planted), a period of transformation (the flower’s growth), and finally reaching maturity (the flower reaching a full bloom).
With the analogy in mind, Wheeler said that the album’s ultimate message is to “never settle and keep working on yourself, show love to others, and continue to evolve despite difficulties, just as sunflowers continue to grow toward the light.”
“People talk about outcomes, but no one talks about the process of getting there,” he added in a press release. “This is Girasoles, an album full of emotions, showing my evolution as an artist and a man. I want fans to identify with each track and make it their own.”
Wheeler led the album with “Una Como Tú” and “No Sé Qué Me Queda,” tracks representing heartbreak at the beginning of the album. Girasoles follows last year’s Música Buena Para Días Malos and 2023’s TRAPPii.
