‘Designated Survivor’ Star Kiefer Sutherland to Release Sophomore ‘Reckless & Me’ Album

Kiefer Sutherland always loved music, but was far too busy with his acting career – starring in film and TV projects like Flatliner, A Time to Kill, 24 and more – to focus on a side project. But when he could no longer deny his other passion, Sutherland released his freshman Down in a Hole in 2016, and now is releasing his sophomore Reckless & Me record as well.

“I have spent 35 years working as an actor out of the love of telling stories with other actors and that has helped me as a songwriter immensely,” Sutherland told Billboard. “The thing that I never expected was how music would influence the acting, and that happened as I became more comfortable telling stories from my heart that were mine.

“I think certainly on Designated Survivor, as a character, I felt more comfortable leaving parts of myself in it,” he continued. “Instead of creating a blank character, I started finding parts of that character that represented me and I could express that within the character and I’ve never done that.”

More than anything, the 52-year-old wanted to be known for pursuing something he loved, not trying to attach his fame to something outside of his realm.

“I was acutely aware of the stigma of an actor doing music,” Sutherland acknowledged. So when fans began reacting to his music, and asking for more, he realized he could trust his own musical instincts.

“If people are going to attack me for it, I can still stand tall knowing that I like the way this sounds, and I like these songs. The surprise of my life was that people were incredibly generous with their opinions on the first record,” Sutherland said. “I was incredibly grateful and humbled by that. The thing that I discovered along the way was how much I loved playing live. In many ways, the records were a way of justifying going back out on tour.”

Sutherland, who has played 300 shows in two years, is going back on the road, where he keeps becoming more and more confident in his stage presence.

“When I started touring, I felt a bit stiff and I think the reason was because unlike shows or television there was no character separating me and the audience,” Sutherland reflected. “There was no Jack Bauer, there was no David from The Lost Boys, it was just me. As soon as I accepted that, it go a lot easier. That conversation, storytelling with the audience, it felt like a huge weight off of my shoulders.”

For Sutherland, the chance to perform gives him a way to connect with his fans in a way that he can’t on a TV show or in a movie.

“I love playing,” Sutherland told PopCulture.com. “And being able to have this shared dialogue of life experiences and that you’re not alone out there, going through hard times, good times, falling in love, falling out of love, they’re all shared things. We all go through this. And to be able to have a night together to celebrate that has been a really special thing.”

Reckless & Me will be released on Friday, April 26. Purchase the album, and find tour dates, at KieferSutherland.net.

Netflix just announced that it will air Designated Survivor for Season 3, after ABC canceled the show after two seasons. The show will premiere on Friday, June 7.

Photo Credit: Getty/ Roberto Ricciuti