As Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons joined Audacy’s Nicole Alvarez, the artist filled us in on the progress of the band's upcoming fifth studio album, what they've got planned as far as hitting the road post-pandemic, and more.
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In a time when the world has faced great divisiveness, Reynolds has been open, open to communication, and open to speaking his truth, and social media has been one tool that has allowed him to be connected to his own thoughts. However, Imagine Dragons’ highly anticipated next album has also been another outlet for Reynolds.
He tells us, “This is our biggest record as far as length, but we took three years off, what do you expect? We wrote so much material during that time.” The Imagine Dragons frontman continues, “By far my most honest record for better or for worse. And Rick Rubin, who produced it really pushed us to some uncomfortable places and I think that was important to go there.”
In working with Rubin, Dan tells us that he not only cultivated a powerful friendship with the legendary producer, but Rick was also the catalyst for the deep vulnerability embedded into the new music.
“It was like, ‘Don’t overthink things, but always make sure that the honesty is coming across through the music’” Dan notes about the recording and production process with Rubin.
He continues, “He pushed me to places that I typically would hide. Especially when I started as an artist, I was really, overly metaphorical in all my lyrics because I was fearful of my parents, people I love, my wife, listening and getting their feelings hurt….Rick pushed me though, past that, to be more vulnerable lyrically, so the lyrics are more direct and that’s a scary thing.”
Getting to a more untethered place musically has not only changed Dan as a person but he also tells us that this has been a “ten-year journey for me,” both from a spiritual place to a place where he was working to save his marriage with his wife and fellow musician, Aja Volkman. “I’m still not there yet, and that’s what life is about right, like eventually, hopefully becoming the best version of yourself,” muses Reynolds.
The last three years of Dan’s journey with personal growth have been particularly impactful. He tells us that he hopes that those same emotions and energy are captured on the upcoming record for listeners to connect to.
Reynolds tell us that record is complete, and it’s just being mixed now. He also shares that the new album will be arriving very soon in 2021.
Check out Dan Reynolds’ full interview above.
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