Julian King Turns ‘Gut-Wrenching’ Heartbreak Into Healing With ‘Can We Go Back’

After experiencing ‘one of the most trying dating experiences to date,’ R&B and soul singer Julian King achieves a new ‘era’ of his career and emotional life with the steamy jam ‘Can We Go Back.’

At the start of “Can We Go Back,” Julian King is caught up in a steamy memory while sitting alone on the floor inside his darkened apartment. In the video, premiering here on Hollywood Life, the R&B singer and The Voice alum reviews all the good times with his lover, quick to admit how he’s “not over” them. “I want to love you more / and get past arguments,” he sings, pleading for a chance for a “second chance” at love. From there, with a silky voice glowing with emotion, Julian goes into the chorus, asking if he and his unnamed lover could “go back” to when things between them were good.

“I remember sitting in my room recording this record, not knowing it would be the very song that would begin my healing, from one of the most trying dating experiences to date,” Julian tells HollywoodLife. “I found my heart in the palm of what now feels like a stranger, and making the decision to walk away was utterly gut-wrenching. That universal feeling of wanting to go back to the days where your stomach fluttered at the sight of his name on my phone, is something I will always credit him the author for.”

“Yet, it’s from this song on that I started writing and feeling in a way that directly mirrored the exact chapter in my story of love, which was something I didn’t do often or as intentionally,” continues Julian. “I describe this song as the backbone to the emotion of this next era of mine, and the catalyst for boys like me feeling seen. Ironically before I let him go, he ended up loving the song and requesting to hear it all the time. As much as I loved that he loved it, I knew it was over at that point. This song is for all the lovers.”

“Can We Go Back” sees Julian continue the momentum he picked up in 2021. In addition to the viral double-dutch video, Julian marked last year with the release of “Gone Do,” the first single since his 2020 EP, Takeout. “Gone Do” makes use of the backing of Ginuwine’s “Differences” and reminded everyone of the talent he first showed when teaming with John Legend on The Voice in 2019. Since then, Julian has forged his path in the R&B world. As an openly queer man, Julian has blazed a trail, making room in R&B for a greater LGBTQ+ presence, showing that this music can be for everyone. And everyone will be tuning in to see what Julian does next.

“Can We Go Back” is out now.