But not long after the success of that hit, Mike Posner's career stalled, so he decided to take that time to co-write with other artists like Justin Bieber, the producer Avicii and Maroon 5.

Then, in 2016, Posner once again saw success in his own solo career --- a remix of his song "I Took A Pill In Ibiza" became an international hit and was nominated for a Grammy. Now, Posner is back with his third studio album called A Real Good Kid, out on Jan. 18.

This album was written while Posner was dealing with the grief of a break-up. It also came together while the artist was dealing with the death of his father, who died from brain cancer, and the death of his friend, Avicii, who committed suicide.

"I had to go to the studio everyday and I was trying to just show up and record all the songs and do a good job and I was sad," Posner says. The song "Move On" helps encapsulate all these emotions.

"Maybe one of the best lines I've written — I don't know, but not a stinker line — is on this song. I said: 'Beginnings always hide themselves in ends.' Beginnings always hide themselves in the end, and I knew that, at the time, in the future I would look back on this moment, this break-up, this pain and be grateful for it and know that it helped me get to whatever was coming."

But even though he's learned to appreciate his father and friends more after their deaths, Posner says writing these songs wasn't necessarily something he felt he had to do to get over their passing.

"These songs, they just kind of pop up in my head and I feel like I have to write them down," Posner says. "I'm sort of nervous if I don't don't write them down or don't record them that whoever is putting them in my head will stop whispering those melodies to me. Maybe that's superstitious and silly."

A Real Good Kid comes out Jan. 18 via Universal Island Records. Posner spoke with NPR's Sarah McCammon about the themes of A Real Good Kid and what he learned about himself while making it. Hear their conversation at the audio link.

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