Chris Berardo Proves 'Something's Gonna Happen' on Debut Single

The aptly titled “Something’s Gonna Happen” represents a new chapter in Chris Berardo’s storied musical career. Not only is the single his first release with Blue Élan Records / KZZ Music on November 1st, 2023, but it also reveals Berardo expanding his sound beyond the rootsy rock music that has brought him a devoted following.

The joyful swell of strings that opens “Something’s Gonna Happen” signals a slight shift in the Connecticut-based musician’s approach. Describing the song as a “dance record,” Berardo says  that he drew inspiration from “the way those beautiful, almost R&B-ish pop records would make me feel when I was a kid.” The uplifting power of music is reflected in the song’s lyrics.

A popular live performer, Berardo will be doing a string of shows on the East Coast as well as in Texas. 

In conceiving “Something’s Gonna Happen,” Berardo and his producer, longtime Reckless Kelly guitarist David Abeyta, followed one rule – no preconceptions. The two let the song tell them where to go. The result is a big, expansive sound that incorporates a fiery electric guitar, a soulful organ, background singers, and (on the extended version) a gloriously long fade-out that Berardo particularly loves. “We were like, ‘we may break Americana’ but let’s just do what we want to do,” Abeyta elaborates. “And it turned out to be, I think, a beautiful sounding track.”

“Something’s Gonna Happen” continues the fruitful collaboration between Berardo and Abeyta, which has already yielded several singles and Berardo’s upcoming Blue Élan Records/KZZ Music full-length, Wilder All The Time. Both, however, agree that the song works best as a stand-alone single. Berardo views the 10-track album as a cohesive piece, with “Something’s Gonna Happen” being different enough that he wanted the tune to be heard independently. Abeyta, moreover, believes the song makes a great first Blue Élan release because it spotlights Berardo’s sense of hopefulness, which he sees as one of his essential qualities as a singer/songwriter. 

This spirit of hopefulness is magnified because Berardo wrote the song during the pandemic. To him, “Something’s Gonna Happen” addresses working through a relationship and surviving the pandemic. This duality resonates throughout his passionate lyrics.