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Kings of Leon’s Caleb Followill Reveals How a Series of Family Tragedies Led to an Album Unlike Anything They’ve Ever Made (Exclusive)
Kings of Leon’s Caleb Followill says a period of family bereavements and his own injury prompted him to write in a more personal way for the band’s upcoming album, *O My Beloved*. He describes the record as a departure from the group’s usual approach and says the songwriting became therapeutic as he began addressing grief he had set aside.
The band had kept its sadness out of 2024’s *Can We Please Have Fun*, but after breaking his foot on tour, Followill began writing about his mother, emotions and fears. He says his grandmother, mother, uncle and aunt had died during a difficult stretch, and that the band supported his shift from their familiar rock style. Due out on 6 November, the album was made independently, without a label, and is intended to reflect life’s highs, lows and defining moments.
In short
- Family bereavements shaped Kings of Leon’s new album.
- Caleb Followill says writing about grief became therapeutic.
- *O My Beloved* is due out on 6 November.
Explained simply
Kings of Leon are an American rock band, with Caleb Followill as their lead singer and songwriter. Their songs have often drawn on the band’s familiar rock sound, while their albums have varied in mood and subject.
Grief is a recurring subject in music, but artists differ in how directly they write about private experiences. Followill says several deaths in his family and a foot injury led him to confront feelings he had put aside, with the songwriting helping him work through them.
The band’s upcoming album, O My Beloved, was made independently, without a record label. Its departure from their usual approach reflects how personal experiences can shape a band’s music and the way its members choose to make a record.
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