In 2025, fangirls everywhere are used to eagerly awaiting solo releases from their favorite band members. Harry Styles, Jonah Marais, and Nick Jonas are all major players in the world of boyband-turned-solo-artist. On April 2nd, 5 Seconds of Summer member, Michael Clifford, joined the party with his debut single “cool.”
Released on April 2nd, 2025, the song takes listeners back to the band’s original roots, reminiscent of “She Looks So Perfect” and “Hey Everybody”. In the music video, Clifford combines goofy shots with 2000s-esque editing, making the video nostalgic for the 5sos fangirls that have stuck around since 2014.
It’s not just the pop-punk beat of the song that has Michael girls everywhere going crazy; the song is full of references to various moments throughout the guitarist’s career. In the first pre chorus, Clifford write “…skinny jeans, I don’t fit in with your new friends…” follow by “Try hard and I wish that I could care less…”, having 5SOS fans take to Twitter and TikTok to discuss the subtle hints that only fans of the band would notice.
The rest of the song is filled with iconic tributes to Michael’s fourteen year career, but what really pulls the debut single together is the meaning behind the song. Throughout “cool,” Michael discusses feeling the need to only impress one person: his wife, Crystal Leigh Clifford. In an interview with Good Charlotte‘s Joel Madden, Clifford talks about how his wife and daughter, Lua Clifford, have inspired his upcoming album, SIDEQUEST. Throughout the interview, Clifford and Madden discuss how parenthood, families, and inner child inspire their artwork.
Background information completed, my personal thoughts on the song are very positive. As a 5 Seconds of Summer fan since 2014, getting to see Michael grow as both lead guitarist in the band and as a solo artist is such a sweet, nostalgic feeling. I’ve always loved the band’s pop-punk albums, and “cool” took me right back to that. With all of the fun references and upbeat tempo, this song is definitely getting added to my summer playlist.
You can find “cool” on all major streaming platforms and the music video on YouTube. Be sure to stay on the lookout for Michael Clifford’s upcoming album SIDEQUEST!