5 Seconds of Summer drummer Ashton Irwin announced Wednesday he is releasing an album of his own next month.
“It is with a great explosion of joy and with my entire soul that I proudly announce that I am releasing my first solo record on Oct 23,” he tweeted, adding that Superbloom “explores my inner philosophies and feelings about the walk of life I have found myself on.”
The 26-year-old previewed the collection with “Skinny Skinny,” a song he said is about a conversation he had with his 16-year-old brother about body image.
“He’s already caught up in his own mental image of what his body should look like,” Irwin explained, in a release. “I thought that was such a crippling trap for a young man to try and walk through.
“I needed to write a song that captured the pain of body dysmorphia. I have been through stages in my life where I’ve been sickened by that state of mind. The over-arching narrative is support system, healing, recovery, strength and focus on true self. I felt like I had a lot to write about.”
The song came with a video that Irwin said “faces + fights back against the demon that lives in the mirror.” In a tweet, he explained: “I wanted to capture the struggle of not feeling at home in your own body. A video of battle, footage of the fight, a snapshot of resilience. I hope you find it empowering.”
Watch the “Skinny Skinny” video below: