If you welcome change, you can truly grow.

Milow recognized this while making on his fifth full-length album, Modern Heart [Homerun Records]. Climbing uncharted creative peaks, he naturally progressed and embraced a host of unexpected, yet completely apropos and inspiring influences.

“In terms of what I wanted to do, I saw things very clearly,” he affirms. “It’s such an eclectic time, and I realized any limitations I had regarding my music came from me and not the audience. So, I decided to dive in headfirst and expand my horizons and styles. I wanted to infuse elements of alternative R&B and hip-hop production—similar to Frank Ocean and The Weeknd—into my world with the acoustic guitar adding color. It was the most liberating thing. I knew as long as I stayed true to my instincts for melodies, lyrics, stories, and the way I sing, it would sound like me.”

The critically acclaimed award-winning Belgian singer and songwriter preserves the hallmarks of his songwriting millions of fans initially fell in love with—i.e. hummable melodies and poignant lyricism—but he alters the delivery mechanism ever so slightly. In order to uncover this nexus of acoustic and electronic soundscapes, he hit the studio in January 2015 with a cadre of different collaborators. Alongside producer and songwriter Brian Kennedy [Rihanna, Chris Brown], Milow tackled writing from a different angle altogether.

“Previously, I’d start with an acoustic guitar,” he continues. “I thought, ‘What if instead of a guitar, it’s some beats or an instrumental?’ This was a deliberate decision for me. I chose to work with people who I don’t have a lot in common with at first sight.”
Their initial collaboration, the airy and upbeat “Fast Lane,” built a template for the sound, becoming what Milow dubs, “Our mission statement. We wanted to raise the bar for the songs and the album, leaving my comfort zone behind.”

Kennedy introduced Milow to Grammy Award-winning producer and singer James Fauntleroy [Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake], and they cut the album opener “Waiting for Love” and “Running Blind.” Meanwhile, Jamie N Commons delivers a chilling spoken word on the epic and spacey closer “Way Up High.” Diversifying the palette yet again, Milow collaborated with chart-topping German electronic dance music impresario Felix Jaehn [Omi] on the first single, “Howling at the Moon.” The song pairs lithe acoustic strumming and tambourine with an ethereal tropical house crescendo during the hook.

“‘Howling at the Moon’ gives the album a little more light,” he says. “It just came to me. It’s super simple, but it’s so much fun to sing. Felix adds a touch of Europe. That rounds out the listening experience.”

Elsewhere, second single “The Lonely One” sees his voice careen over a nocturnal bass line, handclaps, and orchestral swells.

“It’s got this dark nighttime vibe,” he continues. “‘The Lonely One’ is about how technology affects our interactions with each other. In the times of social media, it’s not so easy to actually meet someone in person. It’s an anthem for two lonely souls in the city and maybe their paths will cross.”

Tying his vision together cohesively, he also worked with producers Marius de Vries [Madonna, Rufus Wainwright, U2] and Joe Chiccarelli [The Killers, Jason Mraz].

“The live performance was on my mind,” he adds. “I didn’t want the songs to become sterile or overly mechanical, so I picked Joe and Marius to add another layer. They understand my language in terms of vocal production and live musicians. It’s the perfect crossroads.”

In many ways, the record’s title, Modern Heart, represents both his personal and creative evolution. The hearts beats as loudly as ever but through a fresh musical body.

“I’m a sentimental guy,” he smiles. “It’s important for me to put that emotion into the music. I always try to maintain that within the production. Also, if you look closely, Modern Art is inside Modern Heart.”

That heart is what attracted countless fans to his music in the first place with 2006’s debut full-length The Bigger Picture. By 2009, he had gone platinum in Germany and gold in France, Austria, The Netherlands, and Belgium with his self-titled Milow, selling more than 500,000 units across Europe and Canada. His acoustic cover of 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake’s “Ayo Technology” went viral with nearly 60 million cumulative views on YouTube, a tweet from Kanye West, and an article in Time Magazine. In between releasing 2011’s North and South and Silver Linings during 2014, he’s shared stages with everybody from Jack Johnson to Brett Dennen. Along the way, he earned a total of 12 Music Industry Awards in Belgium.

Now, Modern Heart signals Milow’s most adventurous chapter yet.

“Every album I make is the first time that someone hears me,” he leaves off. “I keep that in mind and ask myself, ‘Could this be a debut album? Does it say enough about me? Is this who I am?’ There’s nothing like a first impression. There are songs that fit everything we go through in this day and age: the anxieties, the doubts, and dreams. This can be a soundtrack to that.”