“MAN I USED TO BE” by Dax

Reflection often becomes the truest measure of growth, and in Man I Used To Be, Dax distills this truth into one of his most vulnerable and affecting releases to date. Released on August 1st, 2025, the single marks a pivotal moment in the artist’s journey, emerging from a six-month period of sobriety that reshaped both his outlook on life and his creative process. What results is not merely a song but a confessional statement—one that balances pain with perseverance, struggle with renewal. Hailing from Wichita, United States, Dax has long been recognized for his ability to bridge rap and melody with emotional urgency. Here, however, he strips away excess in favor of unfiltered intimacy. Produced in collaboration with Nashville-based songwriter and producer Jimmy Robbins, Man I Used To Be unfolds with a clarity that reflects its origin: a voice sharpened by lived experience, layered against instrumentation that is deliberate, polished, and deeply resonant. Robbins’ touch ensures the production remains atmospheric yet restrained, allowing Dax’s vocals and message to sit at the forefront.

Thematically, the song grapples with the tension between past and present—acknowledging destructive habits and the shadows they leave behind, while choosing to stand firmly in the light of renewal. Dax does not romanticize his struggles; instead, he presents them with stark honesty, framing the act of change as both painful and profoundly necessary. The track’s emotional gravity lies in its dual nature: it is both a lament and a triumph, a reminder of who he once was and a declaration of who he refuses to be again. Musically, Man I Used To Be leans into a stripped-back palette where each note carries weight. The arrangement balances vulnerability with strength: gentle acoustic flourishes and subtle percussive layers create space for Dax’s vocal delivery, which oscillates between raw confession and quiet determination.

This balance between fragility and resolve mirrors the very subject of the song—the delicate process of transformation. Beyond the single itself, Man I Used To Be serves as a herald for Dax’s upcoming Lonely Dirt Road Tour, set to commence at the end of October. This tour promises to translate the raw sincerity of the studio recording into a live experience, where audiences can connect not only with the music but with the story that underpins it. With this release, Dax reaffirms his place as an artist who refuses to separate music from meaning. Man I Used To Be is less about entertainment than it is about truth-telling, connection, and growth. It lingers long after the final note, offering listeners both a mirror for their own struggles and a testament to the redemptive power of change.

Garcia Penned 🖊️