Paul Anka Opens Up About His New Song 'I Believe' and How It Connects Him to a 'Higher Power' (Exclusive)
- - Paul Anka Opens Up About His New Song 'I Believe' and How It Connects Him to a 'Higher Power' (Exclusive)
Rachel DeSantisJanuary 16, 2026 at 6:30 PM
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Paul Anka has released his version of the song "I Believe"
The song is featured on Anka's new album Inspirations of Life and Love
The star tells PEOPLE that the song is about exploring the "amazing revelations" in front of us
Paul Anka has spent nearly 70 years in the entertainment business — but he’s still a believer.
The legendary crooner, 84, is set to release his new album Inspirations of Life and Love on Feb. 13, and spoke exclusively with PEOPLE about one of the album’s new tunes, “I Believe” (out now).
“The lyrics in that song, it’s about life. It’s about, what is the higher power? This universe, which is so unexplored, even though we know a lot, there are some amazing revelations that are in front of us,” he explains. “The mysteries that we all talk about and read about.”
“I Believe” is a triumphant song about keeping the faith, and the lyrics see Anka finding comfort and awe in the little things, like drops of rain and blooming flowers.
Scott Dudelson/Getty
Paul Anka performing in Beverly Hills, Calif. in March 2022
“I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows/I believe for everyone who goes astray, someone will come to show the way,” he sings. “I believe above the storm the smallest prayer will still be heard/I believe that someone in a great somewhere hears every word/And every time I hear a newborn baby cry/Or touch a leaf or see the sky/That I know why I believe.”
“When I wrote ‘My Way’ and they asked me about it, I said, ‘I can’t tell you how I wrote it. I was inspired by life. I was inspired by a guy that I admired, but I began to believe that there’s something in the universe where we’re all connected that spiritually happened to me,’” he says. “I’m starting to really believe in that, because when you really study, it’s just remarkable how huge it is and what the possibilities are. What is that higher power about that’s affected our lives?”
In a statement, Anka called the track “a favorite song” of his, and said he’s been singing it since he was a kid at church.
“I redid it for today,” he said. “It’s one of the best songs written about life and love.”
The song was first a hit for Jane Froman in the early 1950s, and Frankie Laine recorded a popular version in 1953. It has been covered over the years by other artists like Elvis Presley, Andy Williams, Louis Armstrong and Barbra Streisand.
Paul Anka album cover
Anka is currently in the midst of an exciting wave of career milestones, including the recent release of his documentary Paul Anka: My Way (now streaming). In March, he’ll launch his A Man and His Music Tour, which will take him to a number of cities through April.
The Canada-born singer/songwriter is the only artist to have a song in the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive decades. Inspirations of Life and Love follows his recent albums Making Memories and Sessions.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
