Michael Clifford of 5 Seconds of Summer has now officially gone solo.
The guitarist, songwriter and now dad has dropped his debut single, ‘cool’, via Hopeless Records. It marks the first taste of his upcoming solo album SIDEQUEST.
Co-produced alongside JT Daly and Andrew Goldstein, and co-written with 5SOS bandmate Calum Hood, ‘cool’ is a self-aware, mid-tempo exploration of doubt and impostor syndrome. Clifford leans into insecurity rather than shying away from it, asking the kind of questions that hit a little too close: ‘Am I cool enough? Do I belong here?‘
It’s a polished, pop-punk-tinged track, but one that doesn’t try too hard to reinvent the wheel. Clifford’s always known how to wrap anxiety in a hook, and this one lands without sounding like a leftover 5SOS demo.
In a statement, Clifford said, “I’ve been deliberating on this music long enough, so I can’t wait for everybody to hear it—and ‘cool’ is just the beginning. Now that I’m a dad, everything other than that feels like a sidequest.”
The video, directed by Bobby Hanaford, mirrors the track’s theme of second-guessing yourself under the spotlight. It features Clifford trying on a series of increasingly absurd looks as he wrestles with perception versus reality. Hanaford called the collaboration “a breath of fresh air” and praised Clifford’s willingness to not take himself too seriously.
SIDEQUEST, Clifford’s debut solo album, doesn’t yet have a release date, but ‘cool’ sets the tone. It sounds self-reflective, unfiltered, and not desperate to be anything it’s not. That alone makes it a strong first step.
For fans of Clifford’s work in 5SOS, it’s a clear sign this next chapter won’t be all neon nostalgia or throwaway features. It’s all shaping up to be something far more personal.
Whether or not it’s “cool” enough doesn’t really matter either way. Clifford already sounds more comfortable being himself.
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