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Michael Clifford, the lead guitarist of Australian pop-rock outfit 5 Seconds of Summer, has become the latest member of the band to embark on a solo career, with debut single “Cool” launching his new journey.

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The track follows in much the same vein as what fans of 5 Seconds of Summer may have expected from a Clifford solo venture, with “Cool” capturing the polished rock sound he’s become associated with and pairing it with more introspective songwriting. 

“This song speaks for itself, and my hope is that when fans hear the lyrics, they’ll understand me and hopefully themselves a little better,” Clifford said in a statement. “I’ve been deliberating on this music long enough, so I can’t wait for everybody to hear it— and ‘cool’ is just the beginning of what’s to come. 

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“I want this project to make people smile,” he added. “I’m just out here doing a bunch of sidequests. Now that I’m a dad, everything other than that feels like a sidequest!”

Released via the pop-punk label Hopeless Records, “Cool” is a taster of Clifford’s forthcoming debut album, SIDEQUEST, which will be detailed at length in the near future. The track was co-written by Clifford alongside his bandmate Calum Hood, and features co-production from acclaimed musicians JT Daly and Andrew Goldstein. It also comes accompanied by a Bobby Hanaford-directed music video.

5 Seconds of Summer first formed in Sydney, Australia in 2011 and released their self-titled debut album in 2014. All five of the band’s albums have peaked atop the Australia ARIA charts, while only 2020’s Calm and 2022’s 5SOS5 prevented the same feat on the Billboard 200, with the records reaching a very respectable peak of No. 2.

Members of the six-time ARIA Award-winning group began launching solo careers following the release of Calm, with drummer Ashton Irwin releasing his Superbloom album in 2020, with second album Blood on the Drums arriving in July 2024. 

Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Luke Hemmings would follow suit in 2021 with his debut album When Facing the Things We Turn Away From, following it up with the Boy EP in April 2024. Currently, bassist Hood is the only member of the group to have not issued solo material, though he has been active in the fields of songwriting, composition, and production.