Eric Nam bares lonely heart on 1st full album in 3 years

Many of the songs on Eric Nam’s new album took shape in solitary moments — on flights, in taxis and in hotel rooms — which is why the singer-songwriter says releasing them now feels a little like letting people read his diary.

“Confessions of a Lonely Heart,” Nam’s fourth full-length album and his first in about three years, came out Oct. 16 with nine tracks about love, breakups and loneliness.

The release also marks a new chapter at home, as Nam recently signed with a Korean agency, all my anecdotes, and plans to perform more often in Korea before taking the album on a world tour in 2027.

Born and raised in Atlanta to Korean immigrant parents, Nam was invited to compete on the second season of MBC’s “Star Audition” after his YouTube covers drew attention, and his top-five finish led to his Korean debut in 2013 with the EP “Cloud 9.” He went on to build a wide fan base as a TV personality before turning increasingly to English-language music and touring abroad.

“These are songs I held on to by myself for a long time,” Nam said in a written Q&A provided by his agency on Friday. “I hope songs that began with my own feelings can come to mean something in someone else’s life, too.”

The title, he explained, reflects how people can feel deeply isolated even as the internet makes connection easier than ever, with the “confessions” being the things that go unsaid, such as missing someone, needing someone or being afraid of getting hurt. Yet the album also looks at the clarity and freedom that can come with being alone, and it ends on a note of hope.

Nam described the record as far more intimate than his third full album, “House on a Hill,” which grappled with happiness, success and what people chase in life, while musically drawing on his fondness for 1980s pop and country.

The lead track, “Psycho,” captures the moment when infatuation tips into obsession.

“It shows how irrational we can become when we fall in love,” he said, adding that the music video nods to classic films to depict the “slightly crazy things” people do for love.

Nam also used the Q&A to correct earlier media reports. After he talked about having experienced panic attacks on YouTube, some outlets described him as having panic disorder, which he said was not what he meant, adding that he is doing well.

“Talking honestly about mental health is important,” he said. “But when the context of a conversation disappears in a headline, people may hesitate to share their own experiences.”

Beyond music, Nam has been expanding his acting career, including a role in “K-Pop: The Debut,” a global film produced by Paramount and HYBE America that also features Yoo Ji-tae and Im Si-wan.

Of his new agency, he said, “Korea is where my whole journey began, so I want to spend more time here meeting fans and audiences again.”

To fans who waited for the album, he added, “I hope it makes you feel a little more cared for and a little less alone.”