A common phrase often used to say goodbye turned out to be a new beginning.

Between losing his vision and the dissolution of his previous band, Collin Lacki has used these life experiences  as inspiration for his latest musical project.

“I was going through a sort of transitional period in my life,” Lacki said.

The pop-rock singer, songwriter and musician reflects both the positive and negative experiences in a relatable way with his recently released debut EP aptly titled, “Flipside.”

The EP’s title track is an upbeat pop rocker that deals with changing the narrative and having a more positive outlook on life with a sound reminiscent of late 1970s Billy Joel.

“Becoming a new person, becoming a more positive person and surrounding myself with better people, that was kind of like the flip side of myself,” Lacki said.

On the same side of the album, “Party Baby” is an equally upbeat song with a memorable sing along in its chorus that has more of a modern pop sensibility to it similar to the music of Harry Styles.

Sandwiched between two upbeat tracks is a familiar song in Lacki’s catalog, “Dancing in the Stars.”

This version differs slightly from the originally released version as it is in a different key and contains new backing vocal parts. These subtle, but effective changes increase the intensity of the highly energetic and emotional ballad which fits well into the overall flow of the EP.

“That new key and the new instrumentation better suited my ability level for the time and gave the song a sort of new life,” he said.

Lacki also provides his new spin on another previously released single, “Took Your Smile Away.” Also recorded in a new key, the ballad contains a newfound gospel type quality with a choir that he sang and arranged on the fly in the studio.

“There’s really no method to my madness. I guess I just have an ear for it,” he said.

The final two songs on the EP, “Nevermind the Moonlight” and “Actor of the Year” have a significantly darker sound and subject matter, which provides a contrast to the upbeat songs found earlier in the EP.

This contrast is most apparent in the lyrics of “Actor of the Year” itself when Lacki sings, “sometimes the flipside is just so bleak.”

Most of the song’s lyrics were written by Lacki as he was recording the song in the studio, which provides a raw emotional quality that serves as a strong statement to round out the EP.

“I felt very connected to the song in that moment because I was experiencing the feeling that the song was trying to portray,” Lacki said.

The EP’s songs can be heard in rotation on 91.3 WBNY-FM and on all major streaming platforms. More information on Lacki and his music can be found on his Instagram and Facebook page.