Distracted

BY: BAILEY RITTER

I had the opportunity to speak with multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and producer Chelsea Cutler and talk about her newly released fourth studio album, ‘IS THIS THE END?’, which came out September 25th.

‘IS THIS THE END?’ shows a new side of Chelsea, inspired by her life in New York City with everything she’s built and experienced in her late twenties. The project explores the ups and downs of growing up, from heartbreak and uncertainty to self-discovery and finding happiness in the things that matter most.

With this album, Chelsea is returning to the music that first inspired her to become an artist while embracing a new sound and creative direction. The album features singles like ‘SORRY I’M OBSESSED WITH YOU,’ ‘BAD,’ and ‘THIS TIME OF YEAR.’ ‘IS THIS THE END?’ marks a new chapter for Chelsea and reflects her rediscovered love for making music.

While some may know Chelsea Cutler for her iconic collaborations with other artists, this album is entirely her own. The record reflects her higher standards and a more inward-looking creative process as she lived the past two years of her life. Following the end of a very significant relationship, the first half of the album focuses on finding levity, joy, and a sense of exploration. It’s about getting out of your head, being more present, leaning into friendships, and learning how to adjust to a new chapter of life. The second half takes a more introspective turn, shifting toward the exploration of bigger, more abstract concepts.

When asked which new song she was most excited to perform live, Chelsea chose “The Car Ride Home.” While she had already performed a few of the new songs at pop-up shows, she described “The Car Ride Home” as feeling magical, making it one she was especially looking forward to performing live.

As my final question, I asked Chelsea what message she hopes fans take away from ‘IS THIS THE END?’. She shared, “the overall kind of message of the record that I would want listeners to take away is hopefully it could serve as a sort of permission slip to give yourself some grace,” she said. “It took me a really long time to understand how to give myself grace, and it’d be really wonderful to help provide that for someone else.”

I love how personal this album is and how Chelsea uses her own experiences to remind listeners that it’s okay to not have everything figured out. ‘IS THIS THE END?’ is a reminder that growing up is a process, and sometimes, you just have to give yourself the grace to figure things out along the way.

I’m excited to see Chelsea bring this new album to life on stage during her upcoming tour!