Cody Fry's latest album 'The End' aims to bring symphonic pop to a new generation

Cody Fry has released his eighth album, "The End," which takes listeners on an emotional journey about overcoming anxiety.

"The End," composed and arranged entirely by Fry, layered with his vulnerable lyrics, introduces a whole new generation to symphonic pop.

A Nashville-based singer and musician, Fry was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2021 for his rendition of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby." Fry shot to fame in 2021 when his song "I Hear a Symphony" went viral on TikTok.

"It was wild," said Fry about the song going viral. "The song was 4 years old at the time, was the last track on an album that was released in 2017. I was just totally shocked and super encouraged because that song was sort of a passion project for me."

Fry grew up with a professional musician and jingle-writing father, who bought him a drum set when he was a little kid.

"Music was really the only thing I've ever been very good at," Fry said. "So there's kind of no plan B."

From there, he learned the guitar and the piano, eventually ending up at Belmont University in Nashville to study music.

Like his father, Fry has scored commercials and delved into film and video game scoring as well. But his real passion lies in writing and producing his own orchestral and symphonic pop.

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Fry's goal is to bring symphonic pop to a new generation.

"I love the orchestra," he said. "I love music education. I love wind ensembles. I love encouraging students to keep playing music, just for the love of it."

Fry wants students to be able to see the instruments that they're learning in the music they listen to, like the flute or violin.

"I hope that that's encouraging, them seeing that orchestra music is not just some sort of history project," he said.

And now, with "The End," released Sept. 15 via Decca Records, Fry does just that. His album features songs with cinematic, sweeping melodies, including his two recently released singles, “Waltz for Sweatpants” and “What If.”

"The End" is about Fry's struggles with panic attacks, which began during the pandemic.

"I think it's been kind of a therapy for me to write some of this stuff ... I'm lucky because I've found ways to cope really well with anxiety and panic attacks, and music has been a part of that," said Fry, noting the healing power of composing.

Fry's process is unlike a typical singer-songwriter. He isn't just writing lyrics and a melody, he's constructing an entire orchestral composition. Sometimes he will start by sitting down with a pencil and staff paper, sketching out the arcs of his songs.

Other times, he uses computer programs to produce demos of how his work will sound. Then he will record the compositions in a studio with an orchestra, crooning on top of the cinematic arrangements.

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Of the title, "The End," fry noted its dual meanings. When he's experiencing a panic attack, Fry said, it feels like the end of the world. The album is also his first as an artist with a label, marking the end of his chapter as an independent artist.

Fry, too, is a new father and feels as though the album captures an ending to his life as he knows it, and a reintroduction to the world as a father.

The album has a narrative component, said Fry, which begins with an explosion of romance, then hits a valley as he explores loneliness and anxiety, and finishes with a feeling of peace and acceptance. The final track is an orchestral cover of Coldplay's "Fix You."

"Ending with 'Fix You,' which is one of my favorite songs of all time, just feels like healing and you're gonna be OK," Fry said. "It's about healing yourself."

To listen to Fry's new album, which feels like the soundtrack to a gorgeous film noir, fans can visit codyfry.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville singer-musician Cody Fry releases cinematic album 'The End'