Love songs old and new in Michael Bublé’s 11th studio album
FOR the past 15 months, Canadian singer Michael Bublé wrote, played music, and recorded three songs in a day with producers Ryan Tedder and Greg Wells. The result of all this effort is his 11th studio album, Higher, which will be released on March 25.
The album is produced by Greg Wells and Bob Rock along with Alan Chang, Jason “Spicy G” Goldman, and Paul McCartney.
“This time out, I opened myself up completely to trying new things. I dug deeper while working and surrounding myself with the greatest music makers on the planet with gigantic imaginations,” Mr. Bublé said in a press release.
“…every moment felt magical or that the universe was conspiring to bring me to this moment in time 20 years into this amazing ride I’ve been on. I have never been more excited after completing an album,” Mr. Bublé said.
Higher is the 46-year-old singer’s first studio album in three years since Love was released in 2018. The new album follows his sold-out two-year global An Evening with Michael Bublé Tour which was held in support of Love.
According to the singer, the album’s first single, “I’ll Never Not Love You,” released on Jan. 28, is the sequel to 2009’s “Haven’t Met You Yet.”
“It’s about promising to someone that if they trust you and they give you their vulnerability, that you won’t hurt them,” Mr. Bublé said during an online press conference with media from Southeast Asia on Feb. 18.
“Love is expensive. Love has a great cost. When you really love someone, you’re putting yourself at risk. And the song is saying ‘Risk that for me and I’ll love you forever’.”
Other songs in the new album include a duet with American country musician Willie Nelson on his song “Crazy.” Mr. Bublé also interprets other love songs on the album including Paul McCartney’s “My Valentine” (2012), Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” (1997), and American soul singer Sam Cooke’s “Bring it on Home to Me” (1962).
Mr. Bublé described interpreting others’ love songs as an honor.
“[It was an honor to] know that someone that I admired so much had trusted me to hold his art and interpret a song that meant so much to him,” he said of recording Mr. McCartney’s “My Valentine,” a song that the former Beatle wrote for his wife. Mr. McCartney also produced the song for the album.
In those months spending time at home, Mr. Bublé also credits his family for bringing inspiration to one of the singles in the new album.
Mr. Bublé said the idea for one of the tracks came from his eldest son. “That song came when my eight-year-old son came into the shower when I was giving my kids’ shampoo and conditioner,” Mr. Bublé said before singing the first few lines of what eventually became the song “Higher.”
The album’s co-producer Bob Rock, who has worked with Mr. Bublé since 2007, said in a statement that this was the most focused and inspired the singer has been.
“He understood the record he wanted to make. He had a clear vision. As soon as we started, he stuck his neck out to make each song get to the place that he was hearing it in his head,” Mr. Rock said.
“I was ambitious, probably overly ambitious. The concepts met execution, and it just worked,” Mr. Bublé said of what to expect of the new album.
He ended the 30-minute online conference with the bold statement: “I’m [going to] try the best I can to live in the moment and enjoy this ride, because I may never be able to do better than this.”
The song “I’ll Never Not Love You” is available to stream at Michael Bublé – I’ll Never Not Love You (lnk.to). To pre-order the album, visit Michael Bublé – Higher (lnk.to). — Michelle Anne P. Soliman
