5 Seconds Of Summer's Michael Clifford Unveils Debut Single, Announces Solo Album 'Sidequest'

Michael Clifford, best known as the lead guitarist for the Australian pop-rock band 5 Seconds Of Summer, is going solo.

Today, the musician released his first-ever solo single, cool, via Hopeless Records, along with an accompanying music video you can watch below. He’s also announced his debut solo album, Sidequest, due for release later this year.

Clifford co-produced the song alongside JT Daly (Demi Lovato, Benson Boone, Alex Warren) and Andrew Goldstein (Tate McRae, Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Barker). Clifford wrote it with his 5 Seconds Of Summer bandmate and best man, Calum Hood.

Marking the beginning of the artist’s solo career, cool showcases Clifford as he reintroduces himself to fans and the music industry. With cool, Clifford examines self-doubt and navigating insecurities when trying to fit in, all while balancing those themes with playful pop-punk energy.

He elaborated on the release, “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.

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

The music video was directed by Bobby Hanaford. The director said of working with Clifford, “It’s rare you get to work with an artist who is willing to play a bit of the fool and turn a mirror on themselves.

“The funny thing is, that this type of vulnerability is what resonates most with the audience. The moment I heard ‘cool’, I realised Michael was already there and really letting his guard down. He was using the critic in his head to take us on this journey of insecurity that every person can relate to.

“It was a quick process seeing a video that matched it and it was a great collaboration with Michael going deeper into that idea and bringing it to life. The whole project is a breath of fresh air, especially in an industry that is often more concerned with looking ‘cool’ than being authentic.”

5 Seconds Of Summer singer Luke Hemmings released his debut solo album, When Facing the Things We Turn Away From, in August 2021. He dropped the EP, Boy, last year. Drummer Ashton Irwin has released two solo albums, 2020’s Superbloom, and last year’s Blood On The Drums.