In his debut solo single “cool”, 5 Seconds of Summer’s Michael Clifford leans into the pop side of pop punk, and wouldn’t be out of place in a playlist with artists like Sing It Loud and The Maine. Fans of the scene won’t be surprised, then, that the song was co-written by pop punk veteran, Andrew Goldstein (formerly of The Friday Night Boys). In addition to collaborating with Clifford and his band mates in the past, Goldstein understands pop artists with an edge, having worked with everyone from Demi Lovato to Bring Me The Horizon. For a person to turn to for help on a first single, Clifford couldn’t have chosen much better. 

With tongue in cheek lyrics like “confidence doesn’t come so easily/when you’re the guy who caught fire with the colored hair/from the band with the song about underwear”, Clifford recalls how his bands meteoric rise to fame led to a continual feeling of self doubt while making this career transition. It’s a song everyone can relate to —- the balance of trying to fit while still being yourself, of trying to grow but knowing the people around you know the you you’ve always been. It speaks to self doubt and feeling like an outsider, but sometimes you get lucky and find someone who reads your mind and loves you for you. Sure to be a song all over everyone’s summer playlists and TikTok “For You” pages, this reviewer is thrilled to give Clifford’s first solo song a solid 4.5/5 stars, and can’t wait to see where Clifford goes from here.