With a resume boasting iconic characters like Prince Caspian, Billy Russo, and now The Darkling, Ben Barnes has made quite the name for himself in Hollywood — but now, he’s moving in a different direction. The Shadow and Bone star announced on his Instagram that he will be releasing an EP of original music come this fall, briefly pivoting away from his recent success in the Netflix series (which will return for a second season). The album, titled Songs For You, will be released in October, with its first single, “11:11,” now available for pre-order.

The announcement may come as no surprise to longtime fans of the actor, who has posted a number of piano covers to his Instagram alongside the typical promotional photos and selfies. This new album, though, will diverge from covering artists like Bowie, Elvis Presley, or Queen, and is instead composed entirely of original songs from the star — proving that he can make fans swoon in more ways than one.

Shadow and Bone Ben Barnes Darkling
Image via Netflix

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Barnes expressed his excitement for the project in his announcement, celebrating his fortieth birthday by making a return to a creative endeavor he’s long considered a passion:

“They say life begins at 40… well, not mine. I am 14,609 days old today and I am celebrating every one of them. I have spent most of them pursuing dreams, surrounding myself with people I love and supported by all of you… and I know just how incredibly lucky that makes me.

One of my biggest unfulfilled dreams has been to release my own music. Music has been my passion my whole life and after a few false starts 20 years ago, I decided not to pursue it as a career. But today, I am realizing that ambition and announcing the release of my own songs.

I have wanted to create something more personal and intimate, to offer up something joyful, honest, soulful and passionate; I hope that you find some of this on my EP...

As you can probably tell, I’m beyond excited to share all this with you. This is a special moment for me. The experience of the past year and a half has offered a fresh perspective to us all and has certainly helped me understand what kind of man I want to be for the next 40 years… and it’s not one who is prepared to let his dreams just be dreams.”

Songs For You will be released on October 15. No tracklist or record label has been announced — though we do know its cover photographer, Jonny Marlow — but fans can pre-save the album’s first single, “11:11”, now. They can also catch up on Barnes’ recent acting work with the first season of Shadow and Bone, streaming now on Netflix. Check out his announcement post below:

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