The situation with Rihanna may have cost Chris Brown a lot of fans, but that won’t keep the singer from trying to win them over.

Even though a preliminary hearing on his assault case is just weeks away, the singer is currently focusing his energy on a new album. According to songwriter and collaborator Robert Allen, Brown’s time away from the spotlight has been about more than just hiding out. (Because, as he made it quite clear in the video, he “ain’t a monster.”) “You want to go away so your audience can miss you some,” Allen said. “But he’s so happy and ready for this next album to break through and make a big impact. He wants this to be his masterpiece. He’s predicting this will be his biggest album.”

So what should listeners expect from this CD, assuming anyone buys it? “Chris is trying different things and experimenting,” Robert disclosed. “We’ve been making things really eclectic. The direction of this album is really fun and free spirited. It’s like a collage.”

The lead single from Graffiti is expected to drop this summer.