Rob Thomas returned earlier this month with a pair of new songs, and the promise of his 6th solo studio album arriving September 5. The singer sat down for an Audacy Check In with Karen Carson at the Hard Rock Hotel New York to unpack the new album, and the mental health message of his lead single, "Hard To Be Happy."

Thomas announced his next chapter with the sunny and swaggering new track, "Hard To Be Happy," which shows sometimes it's okay to be anything but. "I think the idea of of mental health, which it's such a big blanket to say that, because it means something different to everyone else and everybody's struggles and everybody's ways of dealing with it is different," explains Thomas.

"Some things that people are going through that are insurmountable and I think to just kind of chalk it down to 'you're going to be okay,' that falls flat. I think the idea that you can try and find moments of being okay in the storm, you can find little life rafts as you go along, and just being able to talk about it in a way that maybe you couldn't 15, 20 years ago, that in itself is a solace. The idea to be able to say 'it's okay to not be okay.' So a song like 'Hard To Be Happy' just acknowledges the fact that it's fine, there's nothing abnormal about the fact that you can't muster up the energy for a smile today."

It’s okay to not be OK. We know the power of talk can save lives. Audacy's 'I’m Listening' aims to share valuable resources for those who need to connect, heal, and share their own stories. To those who are dealing with mental health issues, understand you are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988.