New dad Nick Lachey has a lot on his plate — he's just released a new solo album, A Father's Lullaby, 98 Degrees has a new CD (and subsequent tour) launching next month, and most importantly, there's 7-month-old baby Camden, his son with wife Vanessa Minnillo Lachey. We were lucky enough to chat with the very talented (and all-around nice) dad and learn more about what it's like to write music for his own child.
POPSUGAR: Congratulations on your new album and new baby! At what point did you decide you want to record A Father's Lullaby?
Nick Lachey: It was pretty early on in Vanessa's pregnancy. I had so many emotions running through my head, and music has always been my way of expressing that. I hadn't heard of any guys with lullaby albums, so I decided to go for it. It was really an inspiring time in my life. I started to write the melodies when she was pregnant, then waited on the lyrics until the baby was here and I could get to know him.
PS: Of the album's 12 songs, you wrote four yourself, and the rest are more classic lullabies. How'd you decide what you were going to include?
NL: Some of the songs are ones that I had a personal connection to. I've always loved "Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)," and my grandfather used to sing "You Are My Sunshine" to me as a child. The others are classic lullabies to give the album some context — like "Brahms' Lullaby" and "When You Wish Upon a Star."
PS: What's been the most surprising thing about fatherhood thus far?
NL: How it affects absolutely everything. It completely turns your schedule upside down, and your priorities change — definitely for the better, but it's a huge change.
PS: What's the best thing about being a dad?
NL: It's getting up with Camden first thing in the morning — going in to get him out of out of his crib around 7:30 and seeing him smile. That's our bonding time. I give him his first bottle, and I sing to him every morning.
PS: 7:30? That's not bad!
NL: Yeah, he's really a great kid. He sleeps very well. He's sitting up on his own now, and rocking. Crawling is just around the corner. He's becoming more and more expressive. It's a lot of fun.
