The Hardest Love Explained

The Hardest Love
Type:studio
Artist:Dean Lewis
Cover:The Hardest Love by Dean Lewis.png
Length:31:06
Label:Island
Producer:
  • Dean Lewis
  • Alex Hope
  • Cook Classics
  • Dylan Nash
  • Edd Holloway
  • Jon Hume
  • Nicholas Atkinson
  • Tyler Johnson
Prev Title:A Place We Knew
Prev Year:2019
Next Title:The Epilogue
Next Year:2024

The Hardest Love is the second studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Dean Lewis, released on 4 November 2022. It was initially announced on 2 September 2022[1] for release on 7 October 2022[2] before being delayed.

Lewis experimented with various producers on the album and upon release, explained the lengthy creation process: "I started writing the album in this hotel on Sunset in West Hollywood. I wrote in Nashville for a while, then I came back to LA and then went to London... there's a famous quote that says people have their whole life to write their first album, and then six months to write the next one. I feel like I've had double the amount of time for this album than the first one."[3]

The album cover is a photo taken by Darren Craig, taken at night in Los Angeles.[4]

Critical reception

The Voice of London said "Dean Lewis uses his music to strip his soul bare for everyone to see. It is beautiful and something he does incredibly as an artist. While it has a similar feel to his debut, this album will connect with people worldwide, bringing both pain and comfort to many." They also noted "While on his first album he focused more around romance, here there is a heavy theme of death, grief and his deepest anxieties."[5]

Chantal Dalebroux from U Music said "The album is a haze of heartbreak, tumultuous times and relatability."[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'The Hardest Love': Dean Lewis announces second album. Palabas Tayo. 3 September 2022. 5 November 2022.
  2. Web site: Dean Lewis announces second album 'The Hardest Love'. Frontview Magazine. 15 September 2022. 5 November 2022.
  3. Web site: Dean Lewis Releases 'The Hardest Love'. Total Ntertainment. 4 November 2022. 5 November 2022.
  4. Web site: Dean Lewis on authenticity, saying 'I love you', brand new LP. Stack Magazine. November 2022. 5 November 2022.
  5. Web site: Dean Lewis's new album The Hardest Love will hurt your heart. The Voice of London. 2 May 2023.
  6. Web site: Dean Lewis Gets Vulnerable on Sophomore Album 'The Hardest Love'. U Music. November 2022. 2 May 2023.