Singer-songwriter Yebba has released her second studio album, Jean, through RCA Records, five years after her debut Dawn. The album, executive produced and written by Yebba with John Rooney, explores themes of healing and personal growth. She also announced her first headline tour.
Yebba, an Arkansas-born artist known for her gospel-influenced vocals, unveiled Jean on March 6, 2026. This project marks a shift toward greater creative independence, with much of the work completed over five years in locations including Arkansas, Dallas, and New York's Electric Lady Studios. The album draws from Yebba's experiences in her "adulting years," focusing on the aftermath of grief, where emotions like anger, doubt, humor, faith, and forgiveness intersect.
Named after her late grandmother Jean, the album serves as a tribute and a space for honest expression. Yebba described the process: "All of it is worship." Tracks such as "Yellow Eyes," the lead single released over two years ago, blend nostalgia and acceptance. Other songs like "Alright" address love and spiritual endurance, while "Aggressive" and "Of Course" showcase playful confidence. The sound incorporates gospel at its core, alongside Delta blues, folk, country, and indie elements, ranging from intimate guitar to full-band arrangements.
Yebba's career gained prominence through collaborations with artists including Ed Sheeran, PJ Morton, Drake, and A$AP Rocky. Her 2021 debut Dawn transformed loss into emotional storytelling, establishing her as a distinctive voice. Jean continues this evolution, emphasizing reclamation of her voice and self, created in personal, low-pressure environments.
Accompanying the release is Yebba's first headline tour, postponed from the Dawn era due to the pandemic. The North American leg begins April 27, 2026, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at Meow Wolf, with stops in cities like Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, New York, and Dallas. European dates follow in August, including Manchester, London, Berlin, and Paris.
The tracklist includes: 1. Forgiveness, 2. Yellow Eyes, 3. Alright, 4. West Memphis, 5. Earth, Wind & California, 6. Aggressive, 7. Of Course, 8. Delicate Roots, 9. Waterfall, 10. Interlude 1, 11. Seven Years, 12. Different Light, 13. Interlude 2, 14. Water & Wanderlust.
