Music and Written by R. Nelson, Vol. 1: Grown Man Energy Album, released on July 24, 2026. This interview takes a look at what happened after the album left the studio and reached the public. Rather than revisiting the album’s original creation story, the conversation focuses on its life after release, the international reviews, radio and chart activity, listener reactions, standout songs, unexpected moments and the lessons R. Nelson has taken from the response.
Across its 13 tracks, the album moves through romance, vulnerability, self-reflection and the realities of relationships, with songs including “Good Morning, Beautiful,” “Gravity,” “Hold You Anyway,” “Do I Deserve Love?,” “Unable to Love,” and “Pullin Away.” The interludes also give the project a sense of progression, making it more than a collection of individual songs.
The questions below are designed to give readers a closer look at how R. Nelson views the album now that it has been heard by audiences around the world. They also explore how the response has shaped his identity as an independent artist, songwriter and producer, and whether what happened with Grown Man Energy has already started influencing what comes next.
1. Now that Music and Written by R. Nelson, Vol. 1: Grown Man Energy Album has been out for a while, how does it feel to finally see the project being experienced by listeners?
It’s a great weight that has been lifted off my chest. When I was working on it, I was very nervous because I was putting a lot of myself out there. Then, when it was finished and the singles from the album started coming out, I was worried about how everything was going to be received. By release day, I was about as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a rocking chair factory…lol. Now I’m looking at the reviews, getting feedback from listeners, and I’m just amazed.
2. Before the album was released, you had your own expectations for how people might respond. What has actually happened so far, and how different has the reality been from what you imagined?
My own expectations for how people might respond? I thought folks would be like, “This is some whiny trash. Get him up outta here.” Lol. What actually happened was people connected with the honesty I put into it, and with the fact that I’m talking about things we don’t really talk about. Again, I’m shocked. I’m looking at two reviews, one scored it a 4.3 out of 5, and I’m like, “Whoa.” Another scored it an 8.5 out of 10, and I’m like, “Well damn.” Lol.
3. You mentioned international reviews, radio activity and chart activity. What has been the most significant response you’ve received since the album’s release, and why did that particular moment stand out to you?
To be honest, it’s all significant to me. Every review, interview, blog, radio spin, what have you, stands out to me in its own way. I’m just enjoying all of it.
4. Have there been any countries, cities, radio stations, publications or audiences that surprised you by connecting with the project?
Lol… I have a long-standing mission to get my music played in Antarctica. It started as a joke, but then I actually researched how it could be possible and started putting my music in positions where it might eventually get played there. Well, one day I checked my metrics and saw that a radio station in the Faroe Islands had played one of the songs from the album. I had to look it up on the map, and I was shocked. That stood out because I was busy trying to get my music to the bottom of the Earth, and it made its way damn near to the top instead…lol.
5. Looking at the project, which songs appear to be connecting most strongly with listeners so far?
Well, “Gravity,” obviously. That song has done me justice. But I’m also seeing that folks are really into “Do I Deserve Love,” BOTH VERSIONS. Long story on how that happened…lol. And then there’s “Cup of Tea,” which is my favorite song off the entire project. I actually had a bet with my COO that it should’ve been the single from the jump instead of “Gravity.” But now folks are gravitating toward “Cup of Tea.” You could say they’re taking a sip of it…😂😂😂
6. Was there a particular song you expected to become a favorite that didn’t receive the response you anticipated, or a song you underestimated that has surprised you?
“Do I Deserve Love.” That song is really hitting, and folks are resonating with it. I honestly didn’t expect that. But here’s the funny thing about that song: there are actually two versions floating around. The single version was the one I originally intended to put on the album. The version that actually ended up on the album was supposed to be released later on an EP. Somehow, that version leaked out and made its way onto the album instead. I call that one the “Metaverse” version…lol.
7. “Good Morning, Beautiful” opens the project. What have you noticed about the way listeners have responded to that song, and do you think its position as the opening track affects how people enter the album?
Yeah, I’ve noticed how listeners have responded to it. A lot of folks have called it a feel-good song and a strong introduction to the story. And that’s exactly how I intended it. I positioned it there for that reason, to introduce you to the story and set the tone for what was coming next.
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8. “Is It Still Cool?” and “Cup of Tea” bring a different energy into the project. Have listeners reacted to those songs in ways that surprised you?
“Is It Still Cool?” and “Cup of Tea”? No, the listeners reacted pretty much the way I intended them to. “Is It Still Cool?” is basically about feeling a person out by asking questions and trying to see what they’re about. “Cup of Tea” is seeing those answers and saying, you might not measure up to everything they’re looking for, but you ain’t trash either. And if they take a chance on you, they might find out you’re exactly what they were looking for. Listeners got that point, and they reacted accordingly.
9. The album moves through songs such as “You Deserve My Best,” “Gravity,” “Hold You Anyway,” and “Do I Deserve Love?” What have you learned from listeners about the emotional parts of the album that connect most deeply with them?
What I’ve learned is that people connect with different stages of the emotional journey for different reasons. “You Deserve My Best” is about wanting to give somebody the best version of yourself. “Gravity” is that pull toward somebody when you realize there’s something there. “Hold You Anyway” gets into caring about somebody even when things aren’t perfect. Then “Do I Deserve Love?” goes somewhere a little deeper because now you’re questioning yourself and your own worthiness. What surprised me is that listeners didn’t just connect with the love songs. They connected with the uncertainty, the self-questioning, and the parts where everything isn’t wrapped up nice and pretty. That told me people are willing to go there emotionally with you, as long as you’re being honest about it.
10. There is a noticeable progression through the project, with “Act 2,” “Act 3,” and the “Epilogue” interludes helping shape the album’s flow. Have listeners understood the album as a complete journey, or have most people been discovering individual songs first?
They definitely understood it as a journey. Of course, you’re always going to have listeners who discover individual songs first. But what I’ve noticed is that those listeners typically get pulled in and eventually discover that the songs are part of a much bigger story. Once they realize that, they start looking at the project differently and hearing how everything connects.
11. “Unable to Love,” “Well Damn…,” “Pullin Away,” and “Or Maybe…” bring the project toward a different emotional space. Has the response to those later tracks changed the way you view the album’s overall story?
Hmm…no, not really. Those songs were always supposed to take the album into a darker emotional space, so the response hasn’t really changed the way I view the story. If anything, it confirmed that listeners understood where the story was going.
12. Has any listener reaction, review, message or conversation about the album stayed with you personally?
A friend of mine called me in the middle of the night, mind you, just to tell me that he LOVED the album. This guy literally woke me up out of my sleep to tell me how much he liked it. I definitely didn’t expect that, but it was a good feeling. Naturally, I was tired as hell though. 😂😂😂
13. What has surprised you most about the audience’s interpretation of Grown Man Energy? Was there something listeners picked up on that you hadn’t expected them to notice?
The fact that it was telling a story. Some listeners picked up on that pretty quickly, like, “Oh, this is a story-type album.” That was cool to see because the story structure was intentional. The songs weren’t just put together because they sounded good next to each other. There was a reason for the order, the interludes, and the way the emotions changed as the album moved along. So when people started recognizing that without me having to sit there and explain it first, that stood out to me. It let me know they were really listening to the project as a whole and not just hearing a collection of songs.
14. Your album is deeply connected to the idea of being a grown man and navigating love, vulnerability, relationships and self-awareness. Has releasing the project changed the way you personally think about the phrase “Grown Man Energy”?
In other interviews, I’ve broken down the “Grown Man Energy” philosophy, and I think this is a good place to explain it again. “Grown” is about experience. Just because you reach a certain age doesn’t automatically mean you’ve grown. Growth comes from living, learning, making mistakes, taking losses, getting back up, and actually learning something from what life puts in front of you. “Man” is about responsibility, accountability, and character. Part of being a man is being willing to look in the mirror and ask what you could have done differently before automatically pointing the finger at everybody else. And then there’s “Energy.” Energy is the capacity to do work, and I look at that as what you put into the world. Your actions, your presence, how you treat people, how you handle adversity, and what you do with the experiences you’ve had. Put all three together, and that’s Grown Man Energy. It’s not just an album title to me. It’s a philosophy about continuing to grow and becoming a better man through your experiences. So has releasing the album changed what Grown Man Energy means to me? Not really. The philosophy hasn’t changed. The biggest difference now is that the world knows what I mean by it.
15. Has the response challenged any assumptions you had about your audience, your songwriting or the type of music people want from R. Nelson?
This album actually started as a side project. I typically make music for roller skating under a different name, so R. Nelson was originally me exploring another side of myself musically. But this project DEFINITELY showed me that my musical taste is a lot more refined than I thought it was. The biggest surprise, though, was the songwriting and my ability to tell a story cohesively across an entire project. I knew I could write songs, but putting everything together in a way where the songs, the interludes, and the emotional progression all told one complete story was something different. I impressed myself with that. Especially with “Gravity.” I still listen to that song sometimes like, “Did I really write that?!” Lol. Even the person it’s about was impressed, so I guess I did something right. Lol.
16. As an independent artist, songwriter and producer, what have you learned from watching this album move through reviews, radio, charts, playlists and direct listener reactions?
I really have to start getting used to those titles…lol. What have I learned so far? Producing and writing the songs are the easy part. The promotion and marketing? That’s where the WORK is. It’s like having the best donuts this side of the Mississippi. You can say you have the best donuts all day long, but ain’t nobody gonna know that until you really get out there and start moving those donuts. You have to put the donuts in front of the right people, the people who can taste them, talk about them, and back up your claim. That’s what I’ve learned with this album. Making the music is one job. Getting people to actually discover it is a whole different job. And I’m STILL WORKING! Quick, somebody listen to and buy this album. You will not be disappointed. Shameless plug here, folks…😂😂😂
17. Has the response to this album influenced what you are writing or producing now? If so, what are you doing differently?
What we’re seeing in this album is really the result of poems, short stories, journal entries, observations, and thoughts that were always around me. This project showed me that listeners respond well to honesty. I didn’t have to manufacture some character or create something just because I thought people wanted to hear it. I took things I had written, experienced, observed, or thought about and turned them into music. So if anything has changed, it’s that I trust that process a lot more now. I know I can dig into those thoughts and experiences, be honest about them, and there’s an audience willing to go there with me.
18. Looking back at the album today, is there a song you would approach differently if you were creating it now, or do you still stand behind every creative decision?
Well, I would probably double-check which version of the song I was actually releasing…ergo, “Do I Deserve Love?” 😂😂😂 Other than that, I still stand behind the creative decisions I made on the album.
19. Grown Man Energy is labeled Vol. 1. Has the response to this first volume influenced what Vol. 2 might sound or feel like?
Actually, Vol. 2 was planned before the first album was even fully written, so I’d have to say no. The response to Vol. 1 hasn’t really changed where Vol. 2 is headed because that direction was already there. But I will say this: Vol. 2 is going to be different. Bring a flashlight and a coat. 😂
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20. Without giving away anything you’re not ready to announce, what can listeners expect from R. Nelson after Grown Man Energy?
Okay, I’m actually having a huge debate with my COO and A&R about this right now. I’m winning, by the way. Lol. Next up are a few different versions of “Cup of Tea” that I really want folks to hear. After that, I may or may not release the other versions of “Do I Deserve Love?” Then there will be a few singles. After that…prepare for flashlights and coats. Brrrrr…😂😂😂😂
21. What is one thing you understand about yourself as an artist today that you didn’t understand before releasing this album?
Uh…that I’m an artist. Like, really a F’n artist. I’m looking at this album, as well as the singles I’ve released, and I’m like, “Whoa.” This is starting to look like an artist who is really out here building something. Of course there are going to be mistakes along the way. I’m still learning. But I’m really an artist out here creating, releasing music, telling stories, and building something of my own. That’s probably the biggest thing I understand now. I’m not just somebody who makes music. I’m an artist.
22. Finally, if someone discovered R. Nelson for the first time because of Music and Written by R. Nelson, Vol. 1: Grown Man Energy, what do you hope they understand about you after listening to the entire project?
That I’m gonna give it to you bold and raw, honestly.
23. If you could sit across from the version of R. Nelson who was still making this album before anyone had heard it, what would you tell him now that you’ve seen the response?
“Bro, this jont here?! This jont here?! Man, keep at it. You really gonna throw folks that know you, or think they know you, all the way off. They’re used to you just doing music. They haven’t learned yet that you can actually WRITE. Keep writing. And for God’s sake, don’t drink so many Pepsis panicking! It’s good. Even your mistakes are gonna fit into place!”
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