The feel-good collaboration with Luke April previews the more assured musical direction of his upcoming album, honey, i’m home
James Reid embraces the freedom of simply being in the moment with “Sunny Side,” his new single featuring producer and artist Luke April, out August 27, 2026, via Sony Music Entertainment.
Driven by vibrant production, an easygoing rap section, and an experimental blend of filtered drums and guitars, the alternative pop track carries an infectious sense of movement without ever feeling rushed. Bright and effortlessly laid-back, “Sunny Side” also captures the feeling of having nowhere to be and being completely at ease with wherever the day might lead.
There’s more to “Sunny Side” than its carefree disposition. For Reid, the song explores a more assured understanding of personal freedom: choosing who he wants to be rather than being defined by outside perceptions.
“Yes, it’s about freedom, but it’s also about feeling untouchable,” the award-winning multi-hyphenate shares in a press statement. “Who I am is not defined by what people think; it’s who I choose to be despite what people think. Say what you want, I’ll be here on the sunny side.”
“Sunny Side” was conceived in an unusually relaxed, spontaneous recording environment. The song, along with several other songs from Reid’s forthcoming album, was produced by Luke April during a week-long creative session in a makeshift outdoor studio in the back garden of an Airbnb. With instruments scattered around, artists and producers coming in and out, and no fixed expectations for what the sessions needed to produce, the collaborators allowed the music to take shape organically.
Reid describes the atmosphere as instrumental to the record’s laid-back outcome, with the lack of pressure creating room for instinct and experimentation. The track itself was largely developed through improvisation rather than an overly structured approach.
Luke April, meanwhile, brought an alternative pop-rock sensibility to the production, inspired by artists such as Dominic Fike. “Each section of the song sounds a tiny bit different from each other, which makes the listening experience more fun and journey-like,” April points out. “For every project that I do, whether it’s for someone else or my own, I turn off my smarty-pants brain and just let the ‘source’ do its thing. No overthinking, keep mistakes, be patient for happy accidents, and make sure everyone’s having fun during the session.”
The result is a track that feels deliberately loose and lived-in while maintaining the energy and polish of a contemporary alt-pop release. The musical references behind “Sunny Side” reinforce its sun-soaked, carefree character. April cites Dominic Fike’s “Sunburn” and Jean Dawson’s “Bruiseboy” as inspirations during the making of the track, while the finished record naturally lends itself to spontaneous drives, sunny afternoons, casual get-togethers, and days without a fixed itinerary.
“Sunny Side” will be part of the actor-musician’s forthcoming album, honey, i’m home, which will drop on September 10, 2026. The new release marks a confident leap, both lyrically and sonically, positioning Reid as a reliable hitmaker with a good ear for globally ready music.
According to James Reid, the album represents an arrival of sorts, one defined by acceptance and a more assured relationship with himself. As James puts it, “Honey, I’m home comes from a place of quiet confidence: a self-assuring kind of love, from freedom as acceptance, not rebellion. Home is where I’m most myself.”
“Sunny Side,” by James Reid featuring Luke April, is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.
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