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Nearly three years following the release of his outstanding sophomore album Subtitles For Feelings, Brooklyn, NY-based singer-songwriter Patrick Droney is gearing up for another go-around. His new single, “Back In My Body,” is out now, and it serves as the lead single off of his upcoming album, Made You Look, out July 24th. The record will feature a duet with country superstar Kelsea Ballerini, as well as a “dream team” of co-producers including Collin Pastore & Jake Finch (Boygenius) and Konrad Snyder (Kacey Musgraves). 

Droney, not one to offer by-the-numbers material, teases that this upcoming record will look at a young man’s journey from adolescence to adulthood, with the hope that the listener will reflect on the growing pains of their own lives. It is an expansion of the concept of Subtitles For Feelings, which explored his relationship with time, grief, and mental health. “I wanted people to look with me, not at me,” he said in a press release.

 With that said, “Back In My Body,” likely among the more enlightened moments of the project, exudes renewed joy and optimism. Having moved past a complex season of life, the tune acknowledges Droney’s mindset of returning to form, both mentally and spiritually. And with this fresh start, opportunities are abundant. “Took a rush of blood, a human touch, a love that’s gonna last/ To sing to the sky, to tell you that I’m back in my body.” 

Sonically, the tune could have been ripped right off Andy Grammer’s hard drive after Droney opened for him at Pier 17 this past summer, complete with a whistle motif, a folky acoustic guitar lead, gang vocals, and a chipped, pop-country oriented melodic line that fits his current demeanor. On a serious note, his affinity for blues is felt across the back half of the track, as an improvised jazz-like piano solo, a wonderfully timed harmonica, and his own rip-roaring vocal technique, subtly utilized in this case, make their presence felt: “When the sun came up, swear she called my name/ I was standing in the light of a brand new day.” 

Though the sound may be a slight pivot for the typically more adult-contemporary rock-focused Droney, it is certainly within reason. He spent some years in Nashville prior to returning to New York in 2023, and, as demonstrated on previous albums, is perfectly capable to slipping in and out of a plethora of styles and genres.

The visualizer for the track contains scenes of Droney making his way through his beloved New York, and grooving to the sound of his mended heart.

Listen to "Back In My Body" below: