Skinny Skinny

Album: Superbloom (2020)
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Songfacts®:

  • 5 Seconds of Summer drummer Ashton Irwin became the first band member to drop a solo project when he released his debut solo record, Superbloom. He explained: "The album explores my inner philosophies and feelings about the walk of life I have found myself on."

    This folk-pop tune, which Irwin dropped on September 24, 2020, is its lead single.
  • Irwin has long been an advocate for mental health. Here, he reflects on his and many other young peoples' struggles with body image, particularly body dysmorphia. "I needed to write a song that captured the pain of body dysmorphia," he explained. "I have been through stages in my life where I've been sickened by that state of mind. The over-arching narrative is support system, healing, recovery, strength and focus on true self. I felt like I had a lot to write about."
  • The song arose from a conversation Irwin had with his 16-year-old brother about body image. "He's already caught up in his own mental image of what his body should look like," said the 5SOS drummer. "I thought that was such a crippling trap for a young man to try and walk through."
  • Irwin wrote the song with Matthew Pauling. The Los Angeles-based producer and engineer previously helmed two tracks on 5S0S's Calm album: "Red Desert" and "Lonely Heart."

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