It's been nearly five years since music duo A Great Big World made most of the world speechless with their Grammy-winning, Christina Aguilera-featured ballad "Say Something." Since then, Chad King and Ian Axel have been finding the right balance of creating music they're proud of—and satisfies the suits at the record label.

While seeking truth in their art is important to both band members, it's even more personal to King. In 2014, King opened up to fans in a YouTube video about living with multiple sclerosis and understanding his own sexuality as a gay man.

We caught up with him to discuss how his personal journey is influencing his professional one.

On your latest single, "Younger," you sing about longing for the simpler days of playing with Barbies and doing fashion shows with your brother. Did you ever think you'd be able to sing about this part of your life on a record?

Never! Not at all. But I'm so glad it made its way into our music. That's what [A Great Big World] is all about. We want to make music that's fun, but also sends a message to anyone out there who may feel invisible. We want to comfort anyone who may need it.

It's certainly a departure from "Say Something." Was there pressure to match the success of that song?

Oh, absolutely! People would reach out to us saying they loved the song and wanted a song just like it, and Ian and I would go through the motions of trying to write another song like it. But "Say Something" came from an emotionally charged place that's hard to recreate if you're not currently living in that space at the moment. At this point, we just like to write and create music that feels right for us, and that's how "Younger" came about. We're freeing and liberating ourselves which feels a lot like being a kid again.

In the few years since your debut album, we've seen more queer musicians coming on the scene—and finding success. Is it getting better to be an out musician today?

It's inspiring to see these out, fearless acts not giving a shit. Like seeing Tyler, the Creator, at Coachella rap about boys in front of hundreds of rap fans was amazing and inspiring and so important to kids today to see and hear. I feel very fortunate to live in New York where I have a sense of freedom to be myself, but that's not true for most gay kids out there, so I also feel a sense of responsibility in our music to create music and images that I would have liked—and probably needed—to see when I was a kid.

One last question because I can't seem to find the answer anywhere. How did you guys come up with the name of your band?

It actually comes from a song called "Cheer Up" on our album, Is There Anyone Out There? The lyrics go: cheer up because nothing really matters when you look up into outer space. It's a great big world and there's no need to cry. And that's what we're all about. So play with Barbies, have fashion shows, be yourself, love who you want to love, listen to Amy Grant. You're free to be yourself. And practice self-care and therapy. That's important, too!