Garrett Hedlund Honors Ex Emma Roberts in New Single and Music Video for Mother's Day (Exclusive)

The ballad pays tribute to all of the firsts in a child's life, taking inspiration from Hedlund's fatherhood journey

Garrett Hedlund is surprising fans ahead of Mother's Day.

The Tron: Legacy actor, 38, released a new single titled "Day One" and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at the accompanying music video. The ballad pays tribute to all of the firsts in a child's life, taking inspiration from Hedlund's own fatherhood journey.

The singer and ex Emma Roberts, 32, share 2-year-old son Rhodes. Robert and Rhodes appear at the end of the video in a section where Hedlund honors different mothers and their kids.

"I was having a conversation with a pal one day and said, 'My son fell asleep in the swing and it was so adorable, so I took him out and just held him in my arms as he slept and we were just walking wonderfully in the backyard,' " Hedlund tells PEOPLE.

"And my pal, who has two older children in their teens, just went quiet for a moment and suddenly said, 'Damn man… I wish someone would've warned me,' and I said, 'Warned you about what?' And he said, 'Warned me about the moment where I can't carry my child anymore.'"

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Related:Emma Roberts Shares Photo of Her and Son Rhodes, 2, Enjoying a Day at the Park: 'My Angel Boy'

Hedlund wrote and recorded "Day One" in Nashville with Grammy award-winning producer Luke Wooten.

"I'm so grateful to all the fans who shared their moments with me," says Hedlund in a release.

"I wanted to write a song that captured the fleeting moments of watching my own child grow up, and seeing how others interpreted it made the song so much more emotional for me," he adds.

The cover art for the single features both Hedlund and his mother, while the music video includes fan-submitted photos and videos of parents showing their childrens' first moments in the world, in addition to adults sharing their own childhood memories.

And there's one cameo that might surprise fans: A photo of Faith Hill, 55, and her three daughters, Gracie, 26, Maggie, 24, and Audrey, 21, appears near the end of the video.

"Day One," out today on all major streaming platforms, will be followed up by an EP that is set to release this summer.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.