For Games We Play frontman Emmyn Callerio, the band's upcoming album I Wish I Never Quit represents more than just another release. It serves as a reflection on burnout, self-doubt, fatherhood, and the difficult question of whether pursuing music is worth the sacrifices that come with it.

Speaking ahead of the album's release, Callerio described reaching a point where years of major-label songwriting sessions and constant touring left him feeling disconnected from the music he was making. While grateful for the opportunities that came with his success, he found himself questioning whether the songs truly reflected who he was, ultimately stepping away to rediscover his relationship with music and what motivated him to continue creating.

That period of reflection became the foundation for what Callerio calls the first album he can truly claim as his own. Written entirely from personal experience, I Wish I Never Quit explores his struggles balancing life as a touring musician with becoming a father while drawing direct comparisons to his own upbringing. Callerio spoke candidly about his father giving up a band when he was born and the internal conflict of deciding whether to continue pursuing Games We Play while raising a daughter of his own.

Throughout our conversation, themes of vulnerability, growth, and uncertainty emerged repeatedly. Rather than presenting himself as the confident teenager who started the project years ago, Callerio described an artist still wrestling with doubt but finding renewed purpose through live performance, family, and the opportunity to tell his story in his own words.

Watch our full candid interview below.

Shot & edited by Madison Jernigan (@behind.mads.cam on Instagram)

Later that evening, the band took the stage as part of the Idobi Radio's Summer School Tour 2026 and delivered one of the night's most entertaining sets. Despite not touring extensively for more than a year, the band sounded remarkably tight, with the chemistry between the members feeling natural from the moment they walked onstage.

The frontman balanced high-energy performances with a constant stream of humor, turning the set into an ongoing conversation with the crowd. Whether joking between songs, pulling fans into the experience, or inviting audience members onstage, Callerio's charisma was impossible to ignore.

New songs "The Smash" and "Is This What I'm Made Of?" translated seamlessly into the live setting, drawing enthusiastic reactions and proving that the material from I Wish I Never Quit is already connecting with audiences. Combined with the band's fully live approach and undeniable stage presence, the performance showcased a project entering its next chapter with both confidence and renewed purpose.