The Used’s frontman Bert McCracken has released a new single under his solo project, robbietheused, titled ‘The Feels.’ With its electro-pop vibes and uplifting lyrics, ‘The Feels’ is the ultimate feel-good anthem of the summer. Its exhilarating, addictive beat coupled with encouraging lyrics serve as a reminder that there is always time to pause and enjoy the present moment.
“This song was inspired by my on-going battle with mental health and is about learning to lean into love and acceptance. It was written in 2022 with John Feldmann and I’m so happy to finally share it with you. peace and love”, says McCracken.
Best known for fronting the iconic rock band The Used for over two decades, robbietheused has always been inspired by pop music and is elated to share his passion with fans. “I was inspired by all generations of pop—I love ’80s pop, ’90s pop and early-2000s pop,” he says, “I love today’s pop as well,” shares robbietheused.
In general, robbietheused always finds solace in writing and recording new music because this creativity has a positive impact on his mental health. Having these songs were particularly vital, as he started writing during the COVID-19 pandemic when he was unable to travel from his home in Australia.
“The whole vibe was really, really dark—and I was in a really, really dark place,” he says. “But recording pop music helped. Having a bunch of pop songs lifted my spirits quite a bit. And ‘Just A Little Bit’ was a bright moment in the record—seeing positive things for the future and hoping for the best.”
Producer John Feldmann came onboard to work on robbietheused material. Given that the two men have known (and collaborated with) each other for decades, it wasn’t a stretch for them to focus on pop-oriented songs. In fact, this camaraderie led to adventurous sound explorations, such as incorporating heavy bass undertones and effects and vocoders.
The pair holed up in the studio for intense, week-long studio sessions; among other things, they recorded one song every day, without fail. This approach to the recording process was quite meaningful, in no small part because it doubled as a daily mental health tune-up.
“In the morning, we’d talk about how we’re feeling and what’s on our minds on that day,” he explains. “And ask, ‘How’s the mental health? How’s the vibes?’ And then we’d formulate a song around that. It was almost like a therapy session, where I’d really get to talk about anything that’s on my mind, and then make a song about it.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, some of the robbietheused songs ended up being heavier than others and resembling The Used music; in fact, one tune actually ended up on 2023’s ‘Toxic Positivity’. Fans don’t need to worry, however: robbietheused is a distinct project—and The Used isn’t going anywhere.
“The Used is my number one priority and my favorite band in the world with my favorite singer of all time,” he says lightly. “My band members have all been really supportive, and they know how much I love pop music.”
With a full album and even potentially live dates coming in the future, robbietheused has proven to be an invaluable gift — in more ways than one.
“Any feeling is valid—and to be able to put it to song is incredible,” he says. “And there’s so much room in this world for positivity. I want this music to show that there’s room for love. There’s room for growth. There’s room for redemption. There’s room for sweet, loving revenge. There’s so many good people—and so many good things happening.”