Even if that’s not true, that is the perspective that I have to keep in mind because I have kids who will go into the world and I want it to be a fantastic place for my four kids and I want them to know there is always tomorrow to rid yourself of toxic people.” 'Monday' I wanted (this song) to be a celebration of life and knowing that one day, it’s going to be OK. And it’s why we don’t spend every day talking about death because it’s a scary, open-ended conversation. Reynolds: “The theme of the record was facing the finality of life, and it’s scary to think about it. I think also it’s trying to acknowledge the harm of toxic masculinity that can come from religion and rejecting our LGBTQ youth. But the song is not just LGBTQ-focused – it’s more about acceptance itself and how life is hard and it’s OK to share our hardships with each other.” 'No Time for Toxic People' But it was really about embracing your sexuality and loving yourself and accepting yourself and accepting those who you love. Reynolds: “That was one of the first songs I wrote for the record, maybe three years ago, which is so strange because people are going to think I wrote it during COVID. It’s so hard for me to express (emotions) in person, like, why have we grown apart? It’s so much easier for me to put it in melody and lyrics.” 'It’s OK' I hadn’t talked to him in years and I had him come over after I wrote that song and played it for him and we sat together and listened to it and it was quite emotional for both of us. He’s always, always been there and as the band has traveled, we’ve grown apart, which was heartbreaking for me. But the song is about my best friend in high school who had bone cancer and was in a wheelchair in high school. As I’ve grown up, I’ve become more of a recluse, and COVID hasn’t helped that. I’m already an introvert in an extroverted career.
Reynolds: “It’s about loss of friendship. Reynolds has previously publicly discussed three early singles from the album, “Wrecked,” “Cutthroat" and "Follow You." The first is a tender tribute to his sister-in-law, Alisha, who died of cancer in 2019, while “Cutthroat” is what Reynolds called “an exorcism in self-pity,” and "Follow You" a love letter to his wife.īut on a recent call from his home in Las Vegas, an introspective Reynolds expounded on a selection of other songs on the new album, talking about them in-depth for the first time, he said, to USA TODAY. Honors: Lil Nas X named The Trevor Project's suicide prevention advocate of the year 6 in Miami and wrapping March 14 in Phoenix. The band will take the new songs on the road next year, starting Feb. It’s a cohesive expression of celebration and mourning, of affirmations and struggles, all packaged with newfound candor. 31, “Demons” was certified Diamond (10x platinum) by the Recording Industry Association of America, making them the only band to have three RIAA Diamond singles (“Radioactive” is 14x platinum and “Believer” 10x platinum).īut “Mercury – Act 1” is about more than sales charts for the quartet. There is always pressure to replicate past achievements, and Imagine Dragons’ commercial success is staggering.
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“With his experience, he really knew how to work with the band dynamic, so we could put everything else aside and just create,” Reynolds said. It’s a kaleidoscopic musical feast and a lyrically piercing collection of 13 songs recorded with ace producer Rick Rubin, whom Reynolds praised for extracting vulnerability from him and instilling a credo of “brutal honesty” in the studio. Since then, Reynolds and the rest of Imagine Dragons – guitarist Wayne Sermon, drummer Daniel Platzman and bassist Ben McKee – have tinkered with their fifth studio album, “Mercury – Act 1,” arriving Friday. Pandemic collaborations: Elton John to release "The Lockdown Sessions" But after a seven-month break, the couple reunited in November 2018 and welcomed a fourth child, son Valentine, on Oct.
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In the midst of relentless professional demands, frontman Dan Reynolds separated from wife Aja Volkman. Their steady success – now heading toward a decade since their debut single, “It's Time” – equated to a whirlwind of live shows, award shows and just-show-up-and-smile appearances that would wear on anyone. They traveled much of the globe through 2019 and maintained a ubiquitous presence on radio. You could say that the past five years have been an emotional tsunami for Imagine Dragons.īetween 20, the band released three smash albums.