Key Points<\/h2>\n\n- Phil Vassar’s new single, “What It Means,” is inspired by serious health issues in 2023.<\/li>\n
- \u201cThis one is extra special and I can\u2019t wait for y\u2019all to hear it!\u201d Vassar shared.<\/li>\n
- Fans express enthusiasm and anticipation for Vassar’s emotionally resonant ballad.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Country music<\/a> star Phil Vassar<\/strong> is set to release his new single, \u201cWhat It Means,\u201d on Friday<\/a>, Jan. 23. The song, his first in months, was inspired by a near-fatal heart attack and a stroke that he suffered in early 2023.<\/p>\n\u201cI was at my girlfriend<\/a>\u2019s house and went into sudden cardiac arrest,\u201d Vassar told Forbes<\/a> in an interview that was published in March 2025. \u201cShe started beating on my chest and called 9-1-1<\/a>, asking them what to do. The paramedics got there within 10 to 15 minutes, but it took them a long time to get my heart beating. They put me in the ambulance, and I coded again on the way to Vanderbilt.\u201d<\/p>\nDoctors put a stent in his artery, but Vassar suffered a stroke three days later.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t remember anything about the heart attack,\u201d Vassar continued. \u201cThe first memory I have is in Atlanta in rehab. It was like, what happened? I spent the next five months doing rehab, trying to remember stuff and learning how to walk. But luckily, it all came back relatively quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nView directly on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\nNow, Vassar is drawing on his major health scare in a new song. The beautiful ballad has some emotionally driven lyrics that will resonate with music listeners who have been faced with the realization that some things in life<\/a> can come at you fast.<\/p>\n\u201cThis one is extra special and I can\u2019t wait for y\u2019all to hear it!\u201d Vassar captioned an Instagram post<\/a> on Jan. 16. He\u2019s been actively plugging the new single and his fans are very excited to hear it.<\/p>\n\u201cExcited to listen! YAY, New music. But, I love all the older [music] too,\u201d one person wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u201cCan\u2019t wait to hear this,\u201d someone else said<\/a>.<\/p>\n\nAbout the author<\/h2>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/parade.com\/.image\/w_3840,q_auto:good,c_fill,ar_1:1\/ODowMDAwMDAwMDAwOTc3MDQ3\/effie-orfanides.jpg?arena_f_auto\"\/)
<\/div>\n\n\nTrending News Writer, Parade<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Effie Orfanides is a trending news writer for Parade. With more than two decades of experience, she focuses on celebrity news, celebrity relationships, music, and reality television.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Country music<\/a> star Phil Vassar<\/strong> is set to release his new single, \u201cWhat It Means,\u201d on Friday<\/a>, Jan. 23. The song, his first in months, was inspired by a near-fatal heart attack and a stroke that he suffered in early 2023.<\/p>\n \u201cI was at my girlfriend<\/a>\u2019s house and went into sudden cardiac arrest,\u201d Vassar told Forbes<\/a> in an interview that was published in March 2025. \u201cShe started beating on my chest and called 9-1-1<\/a>, asking them what to do. The paramedics got there within 10 to 15 minutes, but it took them a long time to get my heart beating. They put me in the ambulance, and I coded again on the way to Vanderbilt.\u201d<\/p>\n Doctors put a stent in his artery, but Vassar suffered a stroke three days later.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t remember anything about the heart attack,\u201d Vassar continued. \u201cThe first memory I have is in Atlanta in rehab. It was like, what happened? I spent the next five months doing rehab, trying to remember stuff and learning how to walk. But luckily, it all came back relatively quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n View directly on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Now, Vassar is drawing on his major health scare in a new song. The beautiful ballad has some emotionally driven lyrics that will resonate with music listeners who have been faced with the realization that some things in life<\/a> can come at you fast.<\/p>\n \u201cThis one is extra special and I can\u2019t wait for y\u2019all to hear it!\u201d Vassar captioned an Instagram post<\/a> on Jan. 16. He\u2019s been actively plugging the new single and his fans are very excited to hear it.<\/p>\n \u201cExcited to listen! YAY, New music. But, I love all the older [music] too,\u201d one person wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t wait to hear this,\u201d someone else said<\/a>.<\/p>\n Trending News Writer, Parade<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Effie Orfanides is a trending news writer for Parade. With more than two decades of experience, she focuses on celebrity news, celebrity relationships, music, and reality television.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAbout the author<\/h2>\n
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