Establishing the mood with an intimate guitar soundscape, Dax opens Man I Used To Be with a brooding timbre and alternative country adjacency as he sings the introspective lyrics, “I’m half the man I used to be, it’s gon’ take some gettin’ used to me, I used to think I had it all, but when you’re up, all you do is fall…”
The opus expands with a high emotional quotient as the star shares his lived experience, woes and wisdom. Man I Used To Be is about change and growth. Dax openly admits that he is not the same person he once was. He used to think he had everything, but he realized that success can also lead to falling down. Now, he feels like only half of his old self remains.
The visionary Canadian star sings about his turmoil from the past. Family trauma, heartbreak, lies, and the addiction shaped him, which he has also addressed in his wider discography, particularly Dear Alcohol. We know from his brilliant songwriting that he was trapped in his own mind and made mistakes, but how he also learned from those struggles and is using his art for catharsis.
Man I Used To Be shows that Dax is moving forward. He affirms philosophically how no longer wants to repeat old habits. He lets go of his pain, chooses faith, and learns to be alone. Being “half the man he used to be” means he has let go of the bad parts of himself. Now, he is working to become better, even if it feels unfamiliar.
On the message of Man I Used To Be, Dax confesses, “My life influenced this release and what I was going through at the time.I told myself I wouldn’t drop a new song in 2025 until I went 6 months alcohol free because I wanted to see what I could create with complete clarity. This song was the result.”
As with most of Dax’s releases, Man I Used To Be comes with a cinematic, narrative-driven music video shot by Logan Meis! For fans of Dax, he has some great news with a recent headline tour called the Lonely Dirt Road Tour, which is scheduled for the end of October. With reference to his intentional art, Dax aptly puts it, “Music for the people, spread by the people.”
Naturally, we have added Man I Used To Be to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream Dax‘s exquisite discography, and immerse ourselves in his music video universe!