During an appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Thursday (April 23rd), Michael Stipe debuted his new song “The Rest of Ever,” performing the track live for the first time.
“The Rest of Ever” is expected to appear on Stipe’s long-awaited debut solo album, which he confirmed to Colbert will be released later this year.
“My record is coming out at the end of the year, that’s an exclusive,” he said. “I’m announcing it now, my first ever solo record, and I’m really pleased about that.”
The singer added that he is currently working on the album’s “final lyrics.”
As Stipe noted, the project marks his first solo album since REM disbanded in 2011.
In an interview with The Times last month, Stipe explained why the record has taken so long to complete.
“Covid didn’t help, but I’m finishing it. When the band split, I just needed a break,” he told the publication. “I took five years but I got pulled back into music. It’s been a struggle. That’s the main thing.
“I want it to be great, but I’ve got the pressure of having been in REM and it’s a high bar, because I want this to be as good as that, and that’s near impossible. So it’s f***ing exciting but also terrifying, and I’m doing the music for the first time too, and I think I’m good at it but not great.”
