Sitting down with Chad King feels less like a typical interview and more like catching up with someone who wants to be there.
Before starting work on the new EP, The road aheadour conversation took a personal turn. I told King that A Great Big World’s “I Don’t Want to Love Somebody Else” once became a lifeline for me in college, when I was still figuring out my sexuality. His reaction was immediate and surprisingly relatable.
“That was difficult for me to write,” King admitted. “There was this straight boy who was toying with my emotions…and I was like, ‘Wait, what are you doing?'”
It set the tone for the conversations that followed: honesty, reflection, and conversations rooted in many lived experiences.
Enter the “After” chapter
King’s new EP marks a turning point. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007, he spent years managing his symptoms while continuing to build his career. ian axel. Together, they achieved great success, including a Grammy Award-winning collaboration. christina aguilera.
But the pandemic has changed things.
“Until COVID hit, all of a sudden I was using a wheelchair, a walker, and a cane…my left side was weak, my voice was weak, and I was like, okay, this instrument is going to be different,” King told me.
That realization didn’t stop him from creating. That changed his approach.
“My toolbox is not the same,” he said. “It may have been a wide range before, but now this is like all we can get.”
let the music know where he is
Rather than fight those limitations, King leaned into them. The result is a project that feels firmly rooted in the present moment, rather than chasing something from the past.
“I knew I wasn’t going to try to be anything other than this,” he explained. “What would it sound like if I didn’t try so hard? What if everything was easier?”
That mindset shaped the sound and structure of the EP. For “All in Time,” King worked within his physical limits, crafting the song as much as his body allowed him to do that day.
“I couldn’t play the guitar until after noon,” he said. “So I just pushed two notes down and wrote a song based on that.”
A line that says it all
During our conversation, there was one lyric that particularly stood out to me. “Change is hard, but staying stuck is even harder.”
For King, that line goes back to a moment of resistance and, ultimately, acceptance.
“I had to accept walking aids,” he said. “I didn’t want to believe I needed it.”
He paused and added what happened next.
“Once I started using it, I felt like I could breathe again. I didn’t know I was missing out on that part of my life.”
It is this sense of transparency that pervades The road ahead. The song doesn’t offer easy answers, but it doesn’t shy away from difficult answers either.
Diary, honesty, and letting go
Many of the EP’s lyrics begin as diary entries, with King looking at the end of each day.
“I like to think about what happened today and why it was great or why it went wrong,” he said, laughing about his ever-growing pile of notes.
This practice has allowed him to handle things without pressure. And when it came time to write, he didn’t hesitate.
“I’m an open book,” he said. “When we start leaning into things that make us uncomfortable…that’s when things unlock.”
What’s next after “It’s a Wonderful Big World”?
Even with a solo project on the horizon, King isn’t closing the door on A Great Big World.
“More music? Sure,” he told me. “I don’t know what that looks like…but that’s what the conversation is about.”
He and Axel also collaborate in the following areas: Wonder: The MusicalIt was premiered in robe drama center. This is another example of how their creative partnership continues to evolve.
be honest and move on
By the end of our conversation, one thing was clear. The road ahead It’s not about Chad King going back to who he used to be, it’s about embracing who he is now.
“I want to make sure people don’t feel alone,” he said. “You are never, ever alone.”
It’s a simple sentiment, but King’s words carry weight. Not because it sounds good, but because he thinks it is.
The road ahead is now available to watch across streaming platforms.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
