An artist hitting their 30s is usually met with one of two creative paths: a sudden, dramatic pivot into experimental ambient jazz, or a profound, clear-eyed look in the rearview mirror.
For pop innovator JORDY, it’s firmly the latter.
With his fourth studio album, In Retrospect (dropping July 10 via EMPIRE), the GLAAD and Queerties award-nominated singer-songwriter is processing the debris of a toxic relationship, the grief of losing his grandfather, and the sheer existential weirdness of leaving his 20s behind. But don’t expect a somber, acoustic pity party. JORDY does what he does best—he wraps the chaos of the human condition in glistening, high-energy bops.
The sonic DNA of In Retrospect didn't start from a place of zen-like realization. Like most breakups, it started with an absolute firestorm.
"Many of the first songs I wrote—'COULDA NOT,' 'BAD SEX,' and 'GOD COMPLEX'—were very angry. They were directed at the person I had been involved with," JORDY admits. "But as I kept writing, something unexpected happened. The focus started to shift."
That shift is where the real magic of the record lies. Instead of pointing fingers for 12 tracks, JORDY turned the mirror on himself.
"I realized that by staying in something so toxic for so long, I was accepting the love I believed I deserved. That realization forced me to look inward. I saw the ways I had been treating myself poorly, and I decided to change that. I let go of unhealthy habits, gave myself more grace, and started taking better care of my body and mind."
One of those incredibly human, specific moments of growth manifests in a track called "Little Distractions," which tackles an addiction rarely spoken about with genuine vulnerability in pop music.
"I am very proud of 'Little Distractions.' It’s a song that came out of me quitting vaping. It sounds silly but it’s something that had me carrying so much shame. It’s something I never thought I would admit to anyone… so the fact that a song was born from being honest about it makes me really proud. I always want to be honest, and honest makes the best music. Period. I think a lot of people struggle with certain vices, and so I hope that song makes them feel less alone in their journey."
With over 350 million career streams and a massive global fanbase, it’s easy to get trapped in the loop of checking Spotify data and chasing viral metrics. But losing his grandfather last year forced a massive perspective shift on what actually matters.
"Being an artist is a constant judging of yourself. Questioning why you haven’t accomplished certain things, why someone else might be further along than you, why the numbers aren’t as high as you’d like," he notes with refreshing transparency. "But after I lost my grandfather it made me realize that I was spending far too much time worrying about things that ultimately didn’t matter. I needed to start living more presently. I needed to focus less on numbers and more on my why. Why I do this in the first place: which is to make people feel seen and heard and understood. The hurdles are always unpredictable, but they shape you, and in this case, they also shaped the music."
To capture that raw intimacy, JORDY kept his circle close, crafting the record through deep, "beautiful conversations" with the lifelong friends and collaborators who have been with him since day one. The result is a project that balances his signature massive hooks with softer, lyrical gut-punches.
If you want to experience In Retrospect live, you better secure your tickets immediately. JORDY has a massive summer lined up, including a massive hometown performance at Chicago’s Northalsted Market Days on August 9.
But after the touring cycle wraps, the pop star is stepping away from the studio for a well-deserved breather.
"This will probably be my last album for at least a couple of years. It took a lot out of me. I will always be here—but I am looking forward to giving this record the breathing time it deserves."
In Retrospect is an ultimate testament to the fact that hitting your 30s isn't about having it all figured out—it's about finally being brave enough to look back at the wreckage, smile, and dance through it.
As JORDY puts it:
"Sometimes things feel heavy, but at the end of the day, we are capable of doing hard things, and moving through change. [Listeners] are valid in their feelings but also... they are strong enough to persevere even when they feel that it’s not possible. It is possible. It really is."
In Retrospect drops July 10. You can pre-save the album and stream the single "SICK!" right now.
Photo Credit: Dante Velasquez Jr.
