While Grouplove was recording their new album Healer, vocalist Hannah Hooper had to undergo brain surgery. But in the face of such a frightening situation, the "Tongue Tied" rockers continued to do what they do best: write songs.
"In order for us to get over that and get through it... we just wanted to distract ourselves and write more music," vocalist Christian Zucconi, who's also Hooper's partner, tells ABC Radio.
"So we went into the studio, and just started doing more songs and just keeping busy," Zucconi continues. "We were just kinda taking our mind off of this very scary news, just keep writing and channeling that energy into songs."
WATCH MORE: Grouplove Performs "Tongue Tied"
Hooper has since recovered, and, to borrow a line from a past Grouplove song, is "back in business." Looking back at the recording process for Healer now, though, bassist Daniel Gleason is surprised that the situation didn't "derail" the whole album.
"It really could have, and that would've been OK, and it would've been understandable," Gleason says. "But Christian and Hannah were so strong throughout the whole thing that it's cool to look back and kind of remarkable that we were able to get through that, and come out the other side with what we feel like is our best work."
Healer's title comes from a lyric from lead single "Deleter," which, at one time, was going to be the name of the album. But given what Hooper and her bandmates had just been through, coupled with their community-driven relationship with their fans, they opted for something a bit more hopeful.
"We wanted to put out a really positive, loving message in these fractured times," Zucconi says. "It just came to us that we all need healing: Everyone does it, everyone needs it."
Healer is out Friday March 13.
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