Michael Stipe admits that getting his first solo album done has been a struggle.
The former R.E.M. singer told The Times of London that “it’s taken longer than I wanted. Covid didn’t help, but I’m finishing it….It’s been a struggle. That’s the main thing. I want it to be great, but I’ve got the pressure of having been in R.E.M. and it’s a high bar, because I want this to be as good as that, and that’s near impossible.
“So it’s exciting but also terrifying, and I’m doing the music for the first time too, and I think I’m good at it but not great. But I love my voice. I don’t like my speaking voice but I love my singing voice, and I so want to immerse myself back into offering music to the world.”
Stipe added that he needs to finish lyrics on eight songs to complete the album and hopes that it will be out before the end of this year. He also joked that it might be titled Meet THE Michael Stipe.
