Luke Hemmings of 5 Seconds of Summer shares debut solo album

Luke Hemmings, lead singer of Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer, has released his debut solo album, When Facing the Things We Turn Away From. 

The 25-year-old surprised fans at the end of June by announcing his debut album and releasing the record's lead single, 'Starting Line.' On Instagram, he described the album as a "project that grew out of a year of enforced stillness."

"I'm so grateful for the journey this album has taken me on and I'm so thankful to have had this creative outlet during my time at home," wrote Hemmings. "Lyrically and sonically, this album has allowed me to decipher the last 10 years of my life and help me make sense of the person I am today and how I got here."

He also gave a shoutout to the other members of 5SOS, thanking them for their support and allowing him to pursue his solo project.

In celebration of the album's August 13 release, the singer posted a photo on Instagram, writing in the caption: "For someone who poured everything into writing these 12 songs, it's ironic that I'm at a loss for words. Blown away by the support so far and so grateful to everyone who takes a chance to listen to this record. When Facing the Things We Turn Away From is now yours. What a beautiful dream."

Hemmings is not the first member of the Australian pop rock band to experiment with solo music. In 2020, drummer Ashton Irwin released his first solo record, Superbloom, which he said "explores [his] inner philosophies and feelings about the walk of life [he has] found [himself] on."

5SOS' latest album, CALM, was also released in 2020. It was the band's fourth studio album and included 'Teeth,' a track that featured Rage Against the Machine's bassist Tom Morello.

Revisit photos of 5SOS' performance at Dublin's 3Arena in 2016 here.

Hemmings will be live-streaming a performance of some of the songs this Saturday, August 14. The cost of tickets will benefit My Friend's Place, a nonprofit resource center for homeless youth in Hollywood. Tickets are available here.

Listen to Hemmings' debut solo album below: