Globally acclaimed vocalist, songwriter, and former Glee star Kevin McHale has released his first-ever solo music effort, a single entitled “Help Me Now.” The track will be featured on his debut EP Boy, due out on May 24th via innovative content platform Vydia. “Help Me Now” can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and all DSPs worldwide.
Watch the lyric video here: https://youtu.be/xfqaNWrm12Q
After over a decade of assuming key roles on everything from FOX’s EMMY® Award-winning Glee to the acclaimed ABC mini-series When We Rise, with his debut EP Kevin McHale is formally introducing himself as an artist with an infectious and idiosyncratic take on pop. As a child in Texas, he took the first step towards a life in music. In 2007, he launched his career in the pop group NLT before transitioning to film and television full-time. Beyond memorable spots on the likes of True Blood and The Office, he spent six seasons on Glee as fan favorite Artie Abrams in addition to touring the country in the show’s live production and appearing on the big-screen in Glee: The 3D Concert Movie. During this time, he attracted millions of followers online and garnered nominations at the Teen Choice Awards and beyond. Along the way, he quietly wrote songs and spent countless hours in the studio. Encouraged by NLT collaborator and producer Justin Thorne as well as songwriter Wednesday, he crafted his debut solo EP, Boy—released as the first artist signing for Vydia in 2019. The project illuminates the nuances of Kevin’s manic love for a wide swath of genres, finding a middle ground between influences as diverse as SZA and nineties pop favorites a la Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. Case in point, the first single “Help Me Now” skitters from jubilant funk guitar into swells of eighties style synths punctuated by wild howl. Most importantly, it hints at a lot more to come.
“‘Help Me Now’ is meant to be tongue & cheek,” Kevin explains. “I think it reflects my personality because it’s super self-deprecating and honest and doesn’t take itself too seriously.” The debut EP was produced by longtime friend, actor, and producer Justin Thorne.
“It was an almost overly simple process. It was usually just me and Justin Thorne and sometimes Wednesday in the studio,” he continues. “I’d usually have some lyrics or an idea or a topic and would flush it out either by myself or with Wednesday while Justin would work on a track. I keep saying the songs are a word vomit, or almost freestyle and that’s really how they came about. They’re two of my closest friends – they know me incredibly well and they, I think, understand me musically better than I do sometimes. For me it was vital to be super honest in the songwriting and because I made these songs with my best friends, it felt like just having a normal conversation we’d have put to music, there was no holding back.”
This spring, fans can expect more new music, along with an official music video for “Help Me Now,” which will be released via Vydia.
In addition to releasing new music, Kevin recently launched a new podcast with former Glee castmate Jenna Ushkowitz. Titled Showmance, the project is part of The LadyGang/ PodcastOne Network and features Kevin and Jenna interviewing some of film and television’s favorite best friends about their work-life balance and maintaining friendships in Hollywood.
For more information on Kevin McHale, be sure to follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
