"The Best Version of Myself:" Parker McCollum Shares What to Expect from His New Record on Bunnie XO’s Podcast

On a new episode of Dumb Blonde with Bunnie XO, Parker McCollum joined her in the studio for a conversation that pulled back the curtain on his rawest record yet, as well as some moments of nostalgia that built him into who he’s become today.

With a new album on the horizon, McCollum didn’t hold back. “I’m as excited about this album as I’ve ever been,” he shared. ‘It’s the only album that I’ve recorded that I didn’t immediately say, now I know what I wanna do.”

Recorded in just seven days in New York after a whirlwind tour, the album came together almost by accident, but the result feels intentional.

“Out of pure luck, I just wrote the best version of myself at the right time,” McCollum said, admitting he was “prepared, but also had no idea what I was doing.”

There’s no pinpointed sound, and seemingly no box to put it in. “This is the first album where I just didn’t give a shit,” he added, meaning he finally let go of pressure and expectation and just sat down and made a record he’d always wanted. A rumored single on the record, 'What Kinda Man,' seemingly hints at themes of growth and the internal battles he often writes from.

The episode also held candid discussion about sobriety, the temptation of substances and how some of his best songs have come from both altered and clear states of mind. “I always wondered if I was good enough to make this kind of record,” he admitted.

Rooted in Texas, shaped by family and fueled by nostalgia (“My addiction to nostalgia is crippling,” he confessed), McCollum’s journey to this record feels like a long time coming.

With songs like “Sunny Days,” a track he says he’s been chasing for years, it feels like the chapter isn’t just music, yet it’s turning the page to a new beginning.

For more on Parker McCollum, see below: