Fifteen years ago, Andy Grammer stood on the Santa Monica pier singing his heart out for tips. Today, he’s a multi-platinum-selling recording artist whose songs like “Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah),” “Keep Your Head Up,” and “Don’t Give Up on Me” have become anthems of hope and inspiration for millions.

Andy’s done—and learned—a lot during those years. He got married, had three kids (all girls), toured multiple times, created a one-man show, started a podcast, launched a kindness-themed clothing line, and more. His sixth studio album, Big Stupid Heart, comes out October 16th. He calls this album “a fierce, joyful defense of optimism and staying open-hearted in a complicated world.”

I sat down with Andy to talk about music, positivity, creativity, family, “reckless sweetness,” and more. What a delight. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

On optimism, cynicism, and staying grounded

Upworthy: You say that this album is ‘a defense of optimism.’ What is your personal definition of optimism?

Andy Grammer: Everything in life is there for you to grow. So even if you’re going through some terrible thing at the moment, there’s something to be taken from it to grow from. And if that’s true, and you can see life that way, then you can kind of always be optimistic.

There’s beauty to be found in everything. And a lot of times, in the hardest, gnarliest times in life, there’s even more beauty. I don’t wish terrible things upon myself. I don’t choose it. But it’s not up to me. Life will kick you hard a lot. So, if you can smile through it, not in a naive way, but in, like, a deep knowing way, then that seems to be the best for me personally.

How do you handle cynicism, either from other people or when you feel it creeping up in your own heart and mind?

It just doesn’t really get me anywhere. It feels very constricting. And I deal with it all the time, but I find the door out of that feeling is either action or service to someone else, like taking action in service of other people, or in service of my art, or just like moving through it. I’m more like an action-oriented guy.

Wallowing in it doesn’t do that much for me. I’ve tried to do meditation, and I’m getting better at that, and that’s really hard, too. It’s either action or just complete stillness with myself. I’m better at the action piece. The sitting with myself does work. It’s just way harder for me personally.

How do you stay grounded in the chaos of the world that, in many ways, feels like it has accelerated since you started putting out your music?

If you zoom out too much and go, ‘The whole world is terrible, and there’s nothing I can do about it,’ that is very paralyzing. But if you look in your mile radius of your life and you go, ‘What do I have to offer that could just recklessly be kind, or sincere, or sweet? Could I throw a party that........

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