Walker Hayes has found himself to be at a turning point in his life where he’s still figuring out how to raise his house full of kids while simultaneously battling with the emotions that came with losing his father. He reveals that these two experiences have forced him to reflect on moments that have shaped not just his outlook on his life journey, but also his latest set of music.
“I think you can tell I’m in the middle of losing my dad and raising kids. I’m at that corner of the road in life when you’re looking back on your childhood – you can see it as clear as you ever have – but you’re looking down the barrel of raising kids and keeping your family together,” he shared honestly in a new Instagram post.
As a result of this current journey that Hayes is working his way through, he has built a brand-new album that he says is “very reflective” of his past, present and future and the new perspective he’s discovered through this chapter of reflection.
“The songs have this ‘in retrospect’ feeling, and then also, ‘what does the future look like? How do I do this?”
His new album, 17 Problems, is set to drop August 22 via RCA Records. This collection of songs is expected to be made up of unfiltered stories and raw emotions that stem from personal trials and triumphs in Walker Hayes’ life. He’s caught between feeling closer to his past and facing the weight of an uncertain future and rather than deliver a polished highlight reel, 17 Problems embraces the doubts, memories, and the tough questions.
The first taste of that the project arrived with “17 Year Old Problems,” a stripped-down, emotional track that finds the Alabama native looking back on his teenage years and the problems that now seem so menial.
This marked the first new music from Hayes so far this year, and there’s plenty more on the way. The remaining 15 tracks are still under wraps, but he’s made it clear how grateful he is for the collaborators who helped bring the project to life.
“So grateful for all the writers that contributed to this project. I’m not the easiest writer to write with,” he joked in a new post. “but all of these folks were extremely patient and contributed so much to each of these songs. It was extremely difficult to narrow down the final 17 but I love every one on this project. Creating with people constantly reminds me how creative God is. Write a song with someone and you will learn so much about each other. So much gratitude for kindred spirits that wake up wanting to chase a song every single day. It is torture at times but we are suckers for the pain. Big shout to the writers! 🙏💪”
Walker Hayes is currently serving as direct support on Brad Paisley’s Truck Still Works World Tour, with dates running through August 3.
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