Starting with 'sad and somber' songs, the Gym Class Heroes frontman comes out with a finished product which has a very different mood to make the summertime more cheerful.
- Jun 14, 2010
AceShowbiz - After dropping several albums with his band Gym Class Heroes, Travis McCoy finally goes solo in "Lazarus" as he wants to express himself more. Working on it soon after breaking up with Katy Perry, the 29-year-old vocalist refused to go gloomy though.
When first entering studio for the solo effort, Travis began with a lot of "sad and somber" songs. But, "I didn't want it to go down that road. So I kind of re-evaluated everything and I kind of put a lot of those songs to the side," he said further in an interview with Associated Press.
On how recording positive songs helped him get through rough patch, he explained, "I think it was more therapeutic to get that darker stuff out. ... Getting all that out ... was kind of my 'woosah' (calming, chilling). That's all out, and it just made way for more positive and up-tempo and happier songs."
The result of his effort to be "more positive" is a chart-busting single "Billionaire" which carries sunny, acoustic-based reggae-pop hook. With Bruno Mars as his collaborator, Travis sings about what would happen if he "would somehow manage to become a billionaire." It peaked at No. 5 on Billboard Hot 100.
In order to match with its "summertime" vibe, "Lazarus" was released in the United States this summer, on June 8. It might crack the Top 10 of Hot 200 after one week on sale, especially with Cee-Lo, T-Pain, Young Cash and Colin Munroe lined up as featured guests.
