Tyler Perry discovered his musical calling when his Roy Orbison covers made the biggest impression at open mics. So he swapped scurried folk for the showman alter-ego Ballgame. In music videos, Perry now poses with the slightly insane theatricality of Jack Black.
And on his debut album FOR THE FIRST TIME, AGAIN, the LA-based songwriter combines warm, catchy 60s and 70s sounds with modern indie playfulness and a versatile voice full of crooner melt. The catchy single “I Believe In Love” seems like an over-the-top solo Beatle number. With “You’re Not My Baby Tonight” Perry presents a successful impression of an Elvis ballad.
In the Wall of Sound-like “Down So Bad” he is more like Orbison. And for the finale “Waiting So Long” he once again plays Soul Brother No. 1 out. Don’t be fooled by old school titles like “Got A New Car”: Instead of carts and girls, it’s about “spiritual awakening” and also a lot about loneliness and despair. And it gets pretty weird too: John Lennon and Harry Nilsson would have enjoyed the percussive “Ooh”. Just as 2026 will enjoy the new retro pop star Tyler Ballgame
This review appears in Musikexpress 2/2026.
