Kolby Cooper Talks New Song ‘Mama’ And The Importance Of Tackling ‘Taboo’ Topics In His Music [Exclusive]

Kolby Cooper demonstrates what it feels like to struggle with anxiety, addiction and having to battle inner demons in his brand-new song, “Mama,” out now via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville in partnership with Combustion Music.

Cooper penned this powerful display of emotions with two of his close friends, Andrew Baylis and Michael Whitworth, as well as Geoff Warburton who he wrote with for the very first time. The 24-year-old Texas native revealed he had the idea for the hook and then his co-writers helped him bring the full vision to life through a series of sing-along-worthy lyrics and an addicting rhythm that captures Cooper’s signature hard-hitting sound. 

“Whitworth and Baylis are two of my really close friends and two of my favorite dudes to write with. It was my first day writing with Jeff and I was excited about it. I only heard good things about him and we were just vibing, we hit it off, he was a cool a** dude,” Cooper recalled of the day the song came together.

Opening Up About The Song’s Powerful Message

As Cooper explained to Country Now, “Mama” touches on alcoholism and the effects it can have on the person, as well as the people around them. The lyrics tell the story of a man who knows there’s no one to blame for his actions but himself, yet despite his struggles, he never fails to have someone in his corner. He constantly hears his Mama’s voice in the back of his head telling him things need to change in his life, and while he’s fully aware that he “needs some saving,” the man still struggles with the reality of having to let go of his desire to drink. 

“Don’t put that on me Mama/ I’ve talked to God before, It feels like he don’t want to hear from me no more/ this devil in the bottle don’t wanna let me go/ There ain’t no holy water gonna save my soul/ Those prayers you sent through the ceiling/ No they ain’t worth a heart like mine/ God knows my shoulders don’t need the weight of the world tonight/ Don’t put that on me Mama,” he delivers on the chorus. 

“Growing up in East Texas, I saw a lot of people struggle with the alcohol and drinking way more than they needed to, and kind of just becoming assholes when they got drunk, but you always have your mama in your corner, and you always have your girl, your wife, whatever you want to call it, in your corner. You always got somebody in your corner that’s looking out for you and it’s key to hone in on that,” Cooper said, revealing where the inspiration for the song stems from.

Teases New Project That He’s Proud Of

The electrifying new anthem follows a string of song releases from Cooper, including “My Love,” “Kill Me,” “Running Away” and “Hello From The Road.” With each new release, Cooper continues to build out his next project, which he says is “definitely in the works.”

“We haven’t officially got it put together yet, but there’s definitely an album in the works and we’re real close to having all the songs,” he teased. 

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What To Expect From The New Music

Listeners can expect to hear even more raw emotion from Cooper as he continues to tackle heavy themes within his music. He admitted his recent songwriting has been inspired by “sadness, anxiety, depression, all those things that I think a lot of people feel that are almost taboo.”

He said he feels drawn to write about these “taboo” topics so that others can find solace in his music.

“I feel like it’s relatable because so many people experience some sort of it. It’s just natural. It’s part of being a human. It’s been fun to tap into some different stories and topics,” Cooper shared. 

This next album, which Cooper deems to be “the best thing we’ve ever put together,” will follow his acclaimed label-debut album, Boy From Anderson County To The Moon.

“I’m just as proud of it as anything we’ve done and I’m just ready for new people to get their ears on it,” he added.

While fans await more details surrounding the forthcoming collection, Kolby Cooper continues to set stages ablaze across the country. He recently wrapped up his sold-out headline run and is now scheduled to appear at various fests and festivals this summer.