Brendan Abernathy’s “april 23” Is a Gut-Wrenching Ode to Loving the Wrong Person

In his most vulnerable and unfiltered release to date, Brendan Abernathy strips everything back—production, polish, even self-protection—to deliver “april 23,” a soul-crushing yet stunningly honest track that encapsulates what it feels like to fall for someone you know will break your heart.

Released under Ari Elkins’ Blue Suede Records, “april 23” is the latest chapter in the lead-up to Brendan’s debut full-length album the kid who got it all wrong. The song is a piano-led slow burn, recorded in one emotionally charged day without vocal tuning or studio trickery. It’s heartbreak in its purest form, and you feel every second of it.

The lyrics pull no punches—Abernathy sings from the eye of the storm, not the aftermath. Written in real time while he was spiraling in anxiety and heartbreak, the rawness of “april 23” feels almost invasive, as if we’re sitting next to him on the couch, watching him collapse between takes.

That emotional gravity is matched by the minimalist production of naebird (Chance Peña, Jordan Suaste), who lets Brendan’s voice carry the weight of the track, later mixed to perfection by Raul Lopez (Shaboozey, Shawn Mendes).

What sets “april 23” apart isn’t just its vulnerability—it’s the masculine transparency that Brendan proudly leans into. A self-described “man’s man” who loves football and bonfires, he’s also unafraid to cry in the studio, to write songs about loneliness, and to give men permission to feel deeply. In his words, if “april 23” can open up one more heart at a show, it’s done its job.

The single debuted to a sold-out crowd and continues to resonate with fans nationwide as Abernathy tours with Sofia Isella. With over 600 shows under his belt and a full album on the horizon, Brendan Abernathy isn’t just everyone’s local artist anymore—he’s becoming a voice for a generation of men learning to be both strong and soft.

You wrote “april 23” while still in the thick of heartbreak, not after the dust had settled. What was it like to document that pain in real time, and how did it shape the raw, one-day recording process?

Hard. But important. I was down so bad that it felt pointless if I didn’t do anything with it. I drove down to San Diego to get away from my head and put on the old Speak Now album by Taylor Swift, and just felt so seen. Those original recordings have a magic to them because Taylor is so earnest and in the thick of it. I’m always chasing that, and it can’t be faked. So I wanted to do the recording while the song was fresh on my heart, but then when it came time to really track the vocals, it genuinely took everything I had physically. I would collapse after each take, then draw myself back up to the mic and sing again.

You’ve described this song as a look in the mirror about falling for the wrong people. What patterns or realizations did writing this track help you uncover about your own relationships?

I’m attracted to the exciting, unpredictable, fun people. The people that a room gravitates towards. To sound trendy, I looooove a good emotionally unavailable lass. But I think those people often can’t love me to the extent I, and anyone, longs for. Or maybe I’m the problem. And I guess the song sits in that space – am I falling for the wrong people? Or am I unlovable? Not knowing is pretty gut-wrenching.

Your live shows are known for being emotionally charged and deeply connective. How did it feel debuting “april 23” to a sold-out crowd, knowing how personal and unfiltered it is?

Well, I sang it accapella, no mic, no instrument. So, I felt naked on stage. Vulnerable. And at the core, it’s a song that fully exposes all my insecurities and troubles, so I guess that’s the only right way.

There’s a powerful line in your quote—“I’m a man’s man… but I’m comfortable talking about my feelings.” How important is it for you to use your platform to challenge stereotypes around masculinity and emotional vulnerability?

At first, it wasn’t important at all because I don’t think I recognized the power of vulnerability to heal, nor the great lack of conversation amongst men. Then the DM’s started flowing in from guys about how my music made them feel less alone and realize they weren’t crazy for being emotional as men. I still get a few of those a week, and at this point, I’m starting to think maybe it’s my purpose and calling in this after all. Men’s mental health, being a silent killer, is a major problem in the US. I was raised in the South, where sports are king, and men don’t talk about what’s going on underneath it all. But I’ve always had good friends - through sports and other things - who I talk about it all with.. Real men talk about their feelings. And I guess I hope real men listen to Brendan Abernathy.

“april 23” is part of your upcoming debut album the kid who got it all wrong. How does this single fit into the larger story of the album, and what can fans expect emotionally and sonically from the full release?

Super central. It was the third or fourth song written explicitly for the album, and at the time, I was mostly exploring why I get love and romance wrong over and over and over again. In a sense, I found the answer by writing this song, so it freed me up to explore the rest of the world of the album.

The kid is the story of growing up and doing it all right, only to feel like we got it all wrong. The kid is me for sure, and most of the stories are my own - not living up to expectations from others, not living out dreams of my own, failing time and time again, getting my heart broken. “April 23” is right in the center of the heartbreak piece, and how being single makes me feel like a failure.

As for sonics, every sound on the album is recorded with a real instrument; there’s no tuning on the vocals, but it’s a polished work. I’ve always been drawn to folk, Irish, and pop music, and so the songwriting probably is a blend of the three. The lyrics are biting, but I always hope to convey more of a feeling than anything, so it’s an album of raw emotion exploring how even in a life well-lived, there is lots of pain.

America is built on fables of success and dreams. Sometimes those fables and reality meet, but for me so far, and I think for most of us, life is full of figuring it out and the in between.