Ben Chapman on Fatherhood and His New Album ‘Feet on Fire’
Ben Chapman rang in 2025 with the kind of high-energy celebration familiar to many Nashville songwriters. Alongside his partner, Meg McRee, he hosted a gathering that culminated in a resolution to embrace a carefree spirit for the year ahead. However, life had other plans. Just two days later, a positive pregnancy test transformed their trajectory, leading to a year defined by marriage and the arrival of their son, George.
For the 28-year-old artist, this personal evolution became the heartbeat of his latest studio album, Feet on Fire. The 12-track project serves as a sonic diary of a life in transition, split between the songs written while he was searching for his identity and those crafted after he embraced the responsibilities of fatherhood.
“I had about six songs done that I knew for sure were going on there,” Chapman explains. “The other six were during that period of, ‘Oh my God, my life is gonna change. I don’t know what this looks like. We are so excited, but scared as fuck.’ It was a two-part record.”
Working once again with producer Anderson East, Chapman channeled this uncertainty into a collection that feels both raw and grounded. The album marks a significant milestone in his career, one he describes as the moment he truly “became a man.”
The contrast is evident in the tracklist. On “Baby Blue,” a co-write with Meg McRee, Chapman leans into the beauty of new beginnings. In contrast, “Everything’s Different”—penned before the couple knew they were expecting—captures a lingering resistance to change. The juxtaposition highlights the artist’s growth, moving from a place of existential questioning to one of centered purpose.
Balancing the demands of a touring musician with the realities of new parenthood is a challenge, but Chapman remains optimistic. “I find myself going to the bathroom and breaking down a couple of times,” he admits. “Not in an all-sad way, but if he crawls while I’m not there, I’m gonna lose my mind. I hope that one day, he’ll look back and go, ‘Dad was chasing a dream,’ and maybe that’ll inspire him to be whatever he wants to be.”
Beyond the studio, Chapman remains committed to his Peach Jam residency at Nashville’s Basement East. What began as a post-pandemic effort to revitalize live music has evolved into a vital showcase for songwriters, featuring guests like Lainey Wilson and Lukas Nelson. For Chapman, the residency remains a space for authenticity, where the occasional imperfection is part of the charm.
“It all kind of bleeds into one,” Chapman says of his music and his life as a father, “in the most perfect way.”
