Features : Rourke’s single “It’s My Time” offers hope to all who listen

Rourke is a rock and roll artist that speaks his mind through his music. His album Starstruck is a politically and socially charged yet humanitarian project full of unapologetic lyrics. His previous single “I Can’t Breathe” captured the hardships of the black experience in America while his new track “It’s My Time” is an anthem of hope that speaks to anyone facing demons in their lives.

In this current political climate, everyone has an opinion on everything and Rourke has one worth hearing. Once a person who would stand his ground against less than intelligent individuals online, he decided to take his standpoints to the music. This birthed his album Starstruck, the product of an eight year process. The poignancy of the album is a reflection of its relevance as the issues discussed on it continue to be relevant and in Rourke’s eyes, even more relevant than they were before. One of the stand out tracks from Starstruck is “It’s My Time” which is not politically focused but still relevant to the emotional response to turmoil of all kinds. Inspired by the controversial Guns ‘N’ Roses track “One in a Million,” the track is a pop infused rocker with strong Americana elements. It’s meant to be uplifting to listeners and help them make the right choices as they navigate life. “Considerng the darker subject matter on the album, I wanted a song that was hopeful. It’s meant to be a rock anthem that reassures people that better days are coming. It speaks to me personally but it can apply to all kinds of situations people may be going through. I want them to look in the mirror and be able to make better decisions for themselves.” he said. Rourke has always been unapologetic with his music which makes some people uncomfortable. His producer tried to steer him away from political angles in his music but he refuses to be silenced or derailed from sharing his messages. He feels like these days, opinionated voices across rock music are not as common as they once were and he’s carrying on the legacy of this from the groundwork that legends like Bruce Springsteen laid. 

“The reason I started writing music 10 years ago was to express my frustrations with the things happening in this country.” he said. With multiple song arrangements across Starstruck, it may be surprising to learn the project began as an EP called Acoustic Sessions. After getting so much positive feedback from what he had at that point, Rourke decided he would continue to share more of his ideas and the EP turned into a 10 track multi-genre album. This creative freedom is something Rourke fully embraces and it connects to his pride in authentic self expression. Rourke believes artists should be comfortable expressing their opinions whether they do it through their music or not. He believes they should not let fear of what will happen to their music careers dictate if they will speak up or not on a topic. As someone who does it all the time, he hopes more of them will take a stand too. 

“It’s My Time” from the album Starstruck by Rourke is available on streaming services now.

You can keep with more of Rourke’s unapologetic stances by keeping up with him on the following platforms.

Linktree | Apple Music | Spotify| YouTube| Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook

The Starlight PR Team thanks Rourke for taking the time to speak with us.