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Kings Of Leon on their “completely honest” album ‘O My Beloved’: “I finally allowed myself to address things I’d been scared to talk about”
Kings Of Leon’s tenth album, ‘O My Beloved’, takes a more vulnerable, stripped-back approach than 2024’s ‘Can We Please Have Fun’, returning to the band’s country roots. Caleb Followill says a cancelled tour gave him time to write about grief, childhood and subjects he had previously avoided, making the record feel more personal and honest.
The tour was called off after Followill broke his foot, leaving him at home and feeling responsible for the cancellation. He began writing on guitar, and the first song was ‘My Whole World’; the band then set aside their usual radio-friendly songwriting methods and followed the material that felt cohesive. Followill’s mother died in 2021, and he said he had initially responded by burying himself in studio work and touring rather than facing his grief.
In short
- Kings Of Leon’s new album is their most vulnerable to date.
- A broken foot and cancelled tour prompted a change in direction.
- Caleb Followill writes about grief, childhood and loss.
Explained simply
Kings Of Leon are an American rock band formed by brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill and their cousin Matthew Followill. Their music has drawn on Southern rock and country, alongside more polished rock songs. Caleb is the band’s lead singer and a main songwriter.
The band’s tenth album returns to a more stripped-back sound, with songs shaped by Caleb’s experiences of grief and childhood. His mother died in 2021, and he has said he avoided confronting that loss by focusing on work and touring. The album’s personal approach helps explain why he describes it as unusually open.