Kenny Chesney released his new album Born last Friday (March 22). It was his first album in four years and the time it took him to craft it is evident after the first lesson. The 15-song collection captures the ups and downs of real life. He celebrates the highest highs in “Blame It on the Salt” and explores grief and loss in the somber “Wherever You Are Tonight” and hits every note in between.
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Recently, Chesney sat down with Holler to discuss his new album. During the conversation, he talked about the making of Born and his exploration of all that life has to offer.
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Kenny Chesney on the Making of Born
Chesney discussed why he chose to pull from both sides of the emotional spectrum on his latest album. “That’s everything life is, right? We all have trials, tough stuff, and lose friends. We all have wins, great moments, crazy adventures. I think the reality is to feel all of it, to appreciate everything, and to meet every experience where it is,” he explained.
Chesney took his time to carefully curate the songs for Born. He wanted to be sure it captured everything he wanted to say on the album. “The way Born came together, I think it was less worrying about checking boxes or worrying about ‘What do we have?’ and more about the spirit of going into the studio and being creative,” he said. Chesney added that he has been working on Born for four years. “It’s been four years since we’ve released music, not four years since I’d been in a studio,” he added.
Chesney explained that he started working on Born during the pandemic. During the shutdowns in 2020, he had plenty of time on his hands. So, he used that time to get into the studio and away from the insanity that was gripping the world. “The process wasn’t so focused on ‘We’re making a record.’ Instead, I could go in and cut songs just because I loved them and not think about how they would fit on the record,” he recalled. “To record stuff for the sake of loving the song, or thinking the arrangement would be cool, is a pretty great freedom to have. It’s rare, even when you’re starting out, so I decided to really lean into that notion,” he said.
Kenny Chesney’s new album Born is available on all streaming platforms.
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