Ruston Kelly’s Third Project, ‘The Weakness,’ Slated For April

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Ruston Kelly. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen

Ruston Kelly will release his third album, The Weakness, on April 7 via Rounder Records. The project’s first single, its title track, is out now.

The new project was created following a period of solitude where Kelly spent time processing the life-altering changes he’d endured over the past few years, including a very public divorce, as well as major upheaval in his immediate family. He moved into an old Victorian bungalow Portland, Tennessee to carve out the songs that would make up the candid album.

Kelly openly detailed his struggle with drug addiction on his 2018 full-length debut, Dying Star.

On The Weakness, Kelly collaborated for the first time with producer and songwriter Nate Mercereau, who welcomed the artist into his Los Angeles-based Studio, Tujunga.

“I felt a real need to understand myself a little better, and to rediscover the true foundation of who I am. The way I’d always worked in the past is that the song comes first, and the production helps to lift its meaning and intent,” Kelly explains. “But this time there was a much greater focus on creating a sonic atmosphere that speaks just as loudly and feels just as emotional as the lyrics and voice.”

He continues, “The overall narrative of the record is that there’s a variety of weaknesses that I need to deal with, and a variety of strengths that I need to bolster. I truly do believe that acknowledging your weaknesses and digging deeper to understand yourself goes hand-in-hand with becoming a greater human being.”

Kelly is currently on tour with Noah Kahan, and will support The Weakness with new tour dates to be announced soon.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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