Machine Gun Kelly’s new album, Lost Americana, introduced with a trailer narrated by Bob Dylan, is his most personal work to date. In a recent interview on The New York Times’ Popcast, the musician discussed how the record draws directly from recent events in his life, including a stay in rehabilitation and the end of his relationship with actress Megan Fox.

The second-to-last track on the album, “Treading Water,” was written during Kelly’s time in a rehab facility in late 2024. It was his second visit in as many years, following an earlier stint in 2023. In the song, he recalls: “I wrote this in Room Three, spending Christmas in rehabilitation / I got no phone, just a cell that I’m trapped in while my home’s vacant.”

Another verse appears to reference his on-and-off relationship with Fox: “This’ll be the last time you hear me say sorry / That’ll be the last tear you waste on me crying / I broke this home… Just ruined their holiday, and lies don’t die, they grow / And everything you try to hide eventually shows.” The pair, who welcomed a daughter in March, have not publicly discussed the circumstances of their split.

Speaking on the podcast, Kelly explained that while the songs communicate his thoughts more clearly than he could in conversation, he wanted to clarify the timeline. “I spent Christmas and New Year’s - the whole month of December and late November, in a rehab facility,” he said. “I came out, the world was very loud about me and my personal business. Ironically, neither me or Megan have said anything. Still, to this day, there could have been zero drama, and you would never know, ’cause none of us have said one thing. It’s all claims and things that have happened out of our control.”

Kelly stressed that the narrative surrounding their relationship has been driven largely by speculation. “None of us have said one thing,” he repeated, noting that both he and Fox have remained silent publicly.

The album also features “Sweet Coraline,” a guitar-led track named after the 2009 stop-motion film Coraline. Kelly said the song was influenced by the Strokes and inspired by an unexpected exchange with a tourist in New York City. “Someone came up to me and said, ‘How did you fumble Megan Fox?’” he recalled. That remark stayed with him and evolved into a song.

As a songwriter, Kelly said he has long felt underestimated. “There is so much complexity in simplicity,” he said. “Every one of these songs has a story. With ‘Sweet Coraline,’ you could dismiss it as a song about a girl, but it’s actually about one sentence that I expanded into a complete track.”

With Lost Americana, Kelly blends personal reflection with broader narrative songwriting, shifting between intimate confessions and concept-driven pieces. The record captures a period of personal change, from time spent in treatment to navigating the end of a high-profile relationship, while also underscoring his belief that his work speaks more directly than interviews ever could.