5SOS’ Michael Clifford drops first solo single ‘Cool,’ teases debut album ‘SIDEQUEST’

Michael Clifford, the lead guitarist of the Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer, or 5SOS, has released his debut solo single Cool on April 2, 2025, according to a report in Billboard.

The track is co-written by Clifford and his bandmate Calum Hood, and co-producing the song are Andrew Goldstein and JT Daly. Cool is a part of Clifford's debut album titled SIDEQUEST. The release date of the album is reportedly not out yet.

The actor spoke about the song and his forthcoming album in a statement. He said:

“This song speaks for itself, and my hope is that when fans hear the lyrics, they’ll understand me and hopefully themselves a little better. I’ve been deliberating on this music long enough, so I can’t wait for everybody to hear it— and ‘cool’ is just the beginning of what’s to come.”

He added:

“I want this project to make people smile,” he added. “I’m just out here doing a bunch of sidequests. Now that I’m a dad, everything other than that feels like a sidequest!”

Rolling Stones reported that Clifford is the third member of 5 Seconds of Summer to launch a solo project. Here is what we know about their solo projects and the band.

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Who are the band members from 5 Seconds of Summer who launched their solo projects?

According to Rolling Stones, following the release of their fifth studio album, Calm, the band members of 5 Seconds of Summer began to pursue solo careers. In 2021, Frontman Luke Hemmings released his debut solo album, When Facing the Things We Turn Away From. Drummer Ashton Irwin released two solo projects — Superbloom in 2020 and Blood on the Drums in 2024.

Hemmings told Rolling Stones in 2024:

“I know solo projects can be scary for fans of bands, but for me it’s the way that the band can live on forever. In my eyes, that’s the way I see it. And I encourage everyone else in the band to follow whatever they want to do — if they’re having time off, having a kid, mowing their lawn. Whatever makes you happy.”

Bassist Calum Hood has worked as a co-writer for Michael Clifford’s debut single, Cool, and also spends his time on TikTok as an influencer, which has gained him plenty of followers on the social media platform, as per reports.

5 Seconds of Summer, also referred to as 5SOS, was formed in 2011 in Sydney, Australia. The band released a self-titled album in 2014. A report in Fandom stated that the band members — Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, and Calum Hood — were originally YouTubers who posted videos of themselves while covering songs from various artists.

They reportedly rose to fame when they toured with One Direction on their Take Me Home Tour in 2013. Their collaboration with the band exposed them to a global audience, as they performed in major venues across the UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand.

They released their debut single, She Looks So Perfect, in 2014, which reportedly topped the charts internationally. Billboard reported that all of the band’s five albums have reached the number one spot in the Australia ARIA charts.

To date, the band has released five studio albums, three live albums, seven extended plays, 26 singles, and 30 music videos.