Kane Brown gets honest in "Learning" off his forthcoming self-titled album. Co-written with Sam Ellis and Blake Anthony Carter, Brown tells the story of his often difficult childhood struggling with an abusive stepfather and trying to fit in.

“When I was six years old, I kinda wet the bed / My stepdad came in and nearly beat me to death / All bruised and broken, I was lonely and scared / My mom, she was workin’, there was nobody there / My nanna showed up, she was super protective / Had a tear in her eye, she saw I was neglected . . . Three weeks later, she had him locked in a cell / Now I'm seven years old with a story to tell,” he sings at the song's start.

Later in the song, he has a new stepdad and wrestles with trying to fit in at school and not be judged by the color of his skin. All the while, Brown remains optimistic and tries to let go of the difficulties of his past.

“I’m gonna let it go / Forgiveness is somethin’ we gotta know,” Brown sings on the chorus. “‘Cause if you hold on forever, it’ll hurt your soul / That’s why I’m learnin’ how to let it go.”

Brown first shared the song online in June, prompting his own mom to comment, “I was the best mom I could be I hope you always know that. I love you. You know I am crying like a baby.”

Brown replied to that by posting, “You were and are the best mom in the world. I love you with all my heart and will always be here for you.”

Brown's self-titled debut album is slated for release on Dec. 2.

“The full-length album, I feel like it could really get my career going — it’s the next step up,” he says in a press release. “It’s pretty much about my life, how I grew up, loved ones that I’ve lost.”

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