Like a stone thrown into a calm pond, the effect of a chance encounter ripples throughout a lifetime. Illinois-based singer, songwriter, and producer William Fitzsimmons cherishes the significance of such encounters. Focusing on the wonder, humanity, and beauty of our interactions with one another, he explores this phenomenon’s effect on his own life via his eighth full-length album, Incidental Contact [Nettwerk Music Group].

“To me, Incidental Contact is a random meeting that can change your life, depending on the choices you make around it,” he explains. “It may seem small at first, but nothing is ever the same afterwards.” In this case, he pays homage to his late stepmother, who passed away in November 2022. In the wake of this loss, William chose to memorialize her and celebrate her memory in the best way he could—by writing and recording what would become Incidental Contact.

William retreated to Nashville to record with producer and collaborator Marshall Altman, rekindling the chemistry they shared on his 2008 fan favorite, The Sparrow and the Crow. As much as they tapped into the strengths of their preexisting creative connection, William also expanded the sonic palette, infusing the soundscapes with analog synthesizers and placing more emphasis than ever on the rhythms.

Over the last two decades, William has not only pondered but he’s also processed life as it happened via his songs. He has amassed half a billion streams while simultaneously, his music has appeared on programming across ABC, NBC, MTV, Lifetime, and The CW. He has garnered acclaim courtesy of American Songwriter, Billboard, Clash, NPR, NYLON, Rolling Stone, Q, Uncut, and many others. Most recently, he shared Covers, Vol. 2 [2023] and marked the 15th anniversary of The Sparrow and the Crow with Remixed Deluxe Versions of that music along with the companion album Derivatives. Now, he delivers his most undeniable and uplifting body of work to date with Incidental Contact.