Singer/songwriter Stephen Stanley makes music with immediate emotional impact, revealing a depth of talent that comes from years of devotion to his craft. At the age of nine, the Mansfield, Georgia-based artist learned to play his mother’s guitar after suffering an accident that rendered him deaf in his left ear and quickly uncovered an innate musicality and remarkable gift for melody. By age 13, he’d added piano and drums to his repertoire, in addition to writing songs and leading worship at the church where his father served as a pastor. Over the last decade, Stanley has honed a distinct and dynamic voice as a musician, bringing both raw emotion and a profound sense of purpose to everything he creates. His latest collection, Divided Frame of Mind, is due to drop on July 21.

In this TCB exclusive, Stephen talks about the tracks on his upcoming album, highlighting those that he’s seen a huge response from (“The Heat”) and unreleased songs he’s excited to share (“Run and Hide”). He discusses the unique features of this project, artists and cowriters, as well as how the album theme reflects his personal story. Stephen previews his upcoming tour and his excitement to play live shows. Finally, he shares the impact he hopes to see from this project.