Ben Chapman on Fatherhood and Finding His Voice on ‘Feet on Fire’
Ben Chapman rang in 2025 with the kind of high-energy celebration common among Nashville’s hardworking songwriters. Alongside his partner, Meg McRee, he hosted a gathering at their home, complete with a midnight toast and a resolution to embrace a carefree spirit for the year ahead. However, life had other plans. Just two days later, a positive pregnancy test shifted their trajectory entirely, leading to a whirlwind year that included a spring wedding and the birth of their son, George.
A Two-Part Record of Transformation
For the 28-year-old artist, this personal evolution became the heartbeat of his latest studio album, Feet on Fire. The project, which arrived this past Friday, serves as a 12-track chronicle of a life in flux. Chapman had completed roughly half of the record before the news of his impending fatherhood, creating a distinct divide in the album’s thematic landscape.
“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, who helmed his 2024 release Downbeat, Chapman channeled his uncertainty into a collection of songs defined by hope and the complexities of new beginnings. The result is a project that feels deeply personal, marking a significant milestone in his artistic journey. “I think I dig it because it’s so true,” he says. “Not that the other ones aren’t true, but this is the record where I became a man.”
Authenticity in Songwriting
The contrast between the album’s tracks is palpable. On “Baby Blue,” a co-write with McRee, Chapman leans into a heavy, piano-driven sound that highlights his Georgia-bred vocals. This is juxtaposed against “Everything’s Different,” a track penned before the couple knew they were expecting, which captures a sense of stagnation and resistance to change. The evolution from that feeling of being stuck to the acceptance of a new life chapter provides the album with its emotional core.
Navigating the balance between a burgeoning music career and the responsibilities of parenthood is a challenge Chapman is still learning to manage. “Sometimes it’s hard,” he admits. “I find myself going to the bathroom and breaking down a couple of times. 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.”
The Future of Peach Jam
Despite the changes in his personal life, Chapman remains committed to Peach Jam, his seasonal residency at Nashville’s The Basement East. What began as a post-pandemic effort to revitalize the live music scene has grown into a mini-festival that showcases his favorite songwriters. With a lineup that has included artists like Lainey Wilson, Lukas Nelson, Kaitlin Butts, and Carter Faith, the event remains a cornerstone of his creative output.
“It’s so authentic,” Chapman says of the residency. “Sometimes, we mess up, but sometimes it’s the best thing ever. It all kind of bleeds into one, in the most perfect way.”
