Jason Mraz on Turning 'Dark Back into Light' and Creating an Album amid His Mom's Cancer Diagnosis (Exclusive)

Mraz released 'Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride' on Friday — his 46th birthday

Jason Mraz has a beautiful approach on life in his new record, Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride.

Out Friday, the new record was a creative outlet amid isolation and hardship in the pandemic — and a time capsule of sorts for the singer to look back on forever.

"It's an album about time where I'm can look back at 25 years as a professional musician and say, 'Wow, I can't believe I've managed to sustain myself by performing my little magic trick over and over again,'" Mraz, 46, tells PEOPLE exclusively. "And then, 'What does the future hold for me?' So the album is also looking back and forward in that place of wonder and gratitude."

He continues, "The album title is about life. Life's mystical, magical, rhythmical, radical ride. That's what life is. And I prefer to look at it that way because I wanna enjoy the ride."

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That ride also came with hardship. Only 10 days into recording, Mraz's stepfather — who he calls a "great jazz drummer" and a "champion of music" — died. Days later, he learned that his mom was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer.

After her diagnosis, the singer-songwriter spent months flying back and forth between Virginia to support his mom through her treatments and California for recording sessions.

"Being able to make the record through that process was one of the ways I could continue to hopefully gift my mom some joy," he says. "[It was] not an easy process."

Now, Mraz says she's "on the other side of it" and he's grateful that she's "back to living." This journey, along with other life experiences, largely inspired his reflective songs about "picking ourselves up" after a difficult time and carrying on, beginning with his song "Getting Started."

Reflecting on his life, the "Lucky" singer — who also celebrated his 46th birthday on Friday — says he doesn't think "the mid-forties is a very exciting age," but he is excited about the wisdom that comes with it.

"I'm clinging to my youth and trying to bring it all with me because I don't wanna grow up. But then I'm also excited about being older and wiser, being more content, being complete or learning how to get complete with things I've done in my past."

The secret to his youthful appearance is "green smoothies" and his daily avocado — which he picks from his avocado farm. Music and his creative process also keeps him young, along with gardening.

The singer-songwriter recalled a hangout with Willie Nelson that inspired him to continue to fuel his passion for music at any age.

"I got to hang out with Willie Nelson a few years ago. Just him and I sitting on his back porch in Hawaii. Couldn't believe it," he says. "And all he wanted to do was play me new songs. So he popped a CD in and he let me hear demos that he's working on."

Related: Jason Mraz Soaks Up the Sun in Video for Feel-Good Summer Anthem 'Be Where Your Feet Are'

"At the time, he's probably 86. And it occurred to me, this is what Willie Nelson loves to do. It's what he is always done. He's written songs for 50, 60 years. Why would he stop? And it kind of hit me, it's like, why would I stop?"

He concludes, "When I'm 86, I'm probably gonna do the same thing. Somebody's gonna come over and I'm probably gonna say, 'Hey, you wanna hear my new songs?' So Willie's been a big inspiration and [taught me], keep doing you and you'll live forever."

Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride is out now.

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