Luke Hemmings on His Solo Debut: ‘I Just Needed to Make This Music to Understand Myself’ Rolling Stone (Ft. Luke Hemmings)

When 2020 first started, it’s fair to say that Luke Hemmings likely expected the coming year to be one that would come and go like normal, with nothing unexpected set to happen. After all, his band 5 Seconds of Summer were just a couple of months away from releasing their fourth album, and with the standard global touring schedule set to kick off, it was business as usual for the pop-rock icon. Then, COVID happened.

We all know the story by now. While a virus ravaged the world, so too did just about еvery industry find itself impacted by thе associated effects. The ever-resilient music industry also suffered greatly, with touring becoming almost non-existent in the coming months. However, while 5 Seconds of Summer remained resolute in their belief that their upcoming tour would indeed go ahead, eventually, cancellations were forced to be announced, sending the group’s members inside for an extended period of time.

Last year, drummer Ashton Irwin emerged from isolation with his debut album, Superbloom, proving that time spent inside could lend itself to extended periods of creativity. Close to a year later, his bandmate Luke Hemmings has now done the same, unveiling his own debut solo album, with When Facing the Things We Turn Away From officially arriving this week.

At its core, the record sees Hemmings utilising his time spent in stasis to exercise his creative muscles, while the end result is one that is equal parts mesmerising and immersive. Somewhat removed from the stadium-ready pop-rock of 5 Seconds of Summer, When Facing the Things We Turn Away From is Hemmings at his most human, looking inward as he searches for reason and purpose – the result of his first extended period of reflection in close to a year.

Stylistically borrowing from artists such as Neil Young and The War On Drugs in terms of lyrical content, and names such as Bon Iver and James Blake by way of production, When Facing the Things We Turn Away From is an album that hardcore fans of 5 Seconds of Summer might not have expected, but one they’re glad to receive.

In anticipation of his debut solo record, Hemmings spoke to Rolling Stone Australia to explain just how this record came about, what it means to him, and plans for it to appear on the live stage.

Firstly, how did you manage to cope with the last year? Obviously 5 Seconds of Summer had their plans ruined, but how did you maintain your sanity?

Well, California – and especially in LA, which is where I’ve been since COVID started in March of 2020 – pretty much shut down for almost a whole year. There was like three weeks where they tried to open it up again, only for it to shut down again. It’s hard, because I’m always apprehensive in seeing positives in it because it’s obviously been such a hard year for a lot of people.

But I guess for me, it was really sad that we couldn’t tour, but once that was a reality I just sort of accepted it and took time at home for myself, and with the lady [fiancée Sierra Deaton], and with the dog, and just trying to decompress. And I think that’s where this album came from, just being inside for so long. It’s the longest I’d been in the same place since I was kid, before I left at 15.

So it was a slightly different experience for me than it was for other people, but it was alright. I mean, we’re all in the same boat, but I probably welcomed it slightly more. It’s obviously super sad though. I didn’t know it was going to go for this long, and looking back now… I mean, I can’t go home at the moment, I haven’t seen my family in such a long time.

I think throughout [the year], it’s just been a lot of music making for me. So it’s just kind of how I dealt with it. I set a challenge of writing songs with no sort of tangible end in sight, and it snowballed it and we’ve obviously ended up here, which is fucking crazy. But yeah, I just sort of made music and took it for what it was, and saw the positives as much as I could. I was lucky enough to be at home and to have a creative outlet on top of the other creative outlet I’ve been in for such a long time. So I’m very lucky and blessed.

When did you first start looking towards a solo album? Was it just in the midst of the pandemic, or had you toyed with the idea beforehand?

I hadn’t thought about it. I mean, I’d thought maybe when I’m older or something, and I’d so something else musically. I tried writing for other people for a bit and that sort of thing, but it was immensely brought on by being at home, the band just putting out an album, an open schedule, and I just love songwriting – I love getting better at it. It’s kind of my whole being.