Best known as the enigmatic frontman for Los Angeles indie dance pop group Fitz and the Tantrums, Michael Fitzpatrick stepped out from his longtime project in 2021 to release his first solo album. Led by the optimistic title track, Head Up High saw a continuation of Fitz's big pop sensibilities while adding new textures to his palette.

The French-born, L.A.-raised Fitzpatrick was already in his late thirties by the time he found success fronting the Tantrums in the waning years of the 2000s. The heady mixture of neo-soul and party-driven pop that defined the group's 2010 debut, Pickin' Up the Pieces, helped carry them into the mainstream over successive releases, most notably their eponymous 2016 breakout, which delved more deeply into their shimmering '80s pop and new wave vibes. When the band's 2020 tour was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fitz channeled his creative energy into a series of home recordings that became the basis for his solo debut. Working remotely with collaborator Ryan Daly, he released his first-ever solo single, the acoustic-driven "Head Up High," in 2020 and followed it with a full-length album of the same name in March 2021. ~ Timothy Monger

Led by singer Michael Fitzpatrick, Fitz and the Tantrums play a hooky, danceable brand of pop infused with retro-soul and '80s new wave influences. Initially drawing inspiration from classic Motown and Stax recordings, the group drew praise for their exuberant 2010 debut LP, Pickin' Up the Pieces. They have continued to evolve, adopting a more contemporary pop sound and landing chart hits like "Out of My League" from 2014's More Than Just a Dream, "HandClap" from 2016's Fitz and the Tantrums, and "I Just Wanna Shine" from 2019's All the Feels. More pop anthems arrived with 2020's "Head Up High" and 2022's "Sway," the latter of which paved the way for the band's fifth album, Let Yourself Free.

The Los Angeles-based Fitzpatrick initially formed the Tantrums in 2008 as a neo-soul solo project; having purchased an old church organ, he found that it helped inspire his songwriting. While recording a solo EP, he recruited an old college friend, James King, to add horn arrangements to the material. The lineup grew from there, with the Tantrums eventually becoming a co-ed septet with the addition of vocalist Noelle Scaggs. Songs for a Break Up, Vol. 1 marked the group's first release in 2009, and Fitz and the Tantrums headed to South by Southwest the following year, stirring up some industry buzz in the process. Also in 2010, the band delivered their first full-length effort, Pickin' Up the Pieces, featuring the single "MoneyGrabber." The group's second studio album, the Tony Hoffer-produced More Than Just a Dream, appeared in 2014 and found them moving away from the vintage soul sound of their debut. The record's lead single, "Out of My League," reached number one on Billboard's Alternative chart.

The band's creative transformation into a more contemporary pop outfit reached an apex with 2016's eponymous Fitz and the Tantrums, which featured production from Jesse Shatkin (Sia, Tegan & Sara), Joel Little (Ellie Goulding, Lorde), and Ricky Reed (Jessie J, Jason Derulo). The album was heralded by the infectious lead single "HandClap," which landed at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Adult Top 40 chart. The following year -- in conjunction with their summer trek with OneRepublic and James Arthur -- the group issued a deluxe edition of Fitz and the Tantrums featuring a new single, "Fool."

They returned in 2019 with their third full-length, All the Feels, which again featured a handful of producers, including Oren Yoel, Busbee, Tommy English, and others. The album also found them continuing to balance a glossy, contemporary pop sound with their roots in emotive soul and R&B, as evidenced by the singles "123456" and "I Just Wanna Shine," the latter of which hit number four on Billboard's Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. A stand-alone track, "Head Up High," arrived in 2020. Another single, "Sway," appeared in mid-2022, heralding the group's fifth full-length. Released that November, Let Yourself Free featured more upbeat grooves that found Fitz and the Tantrums drawing inspiration from the funky, soul-infused sound of their debut. ~ Matt Collar & Andrew Leahey