Singer-songwriter Kelela has announced her third album, New Avatar, set for release on July 10. The project blends shoegaze, grunge, R&B, and electronic music, featuring collaborations with PinkPantheress, A.K. Paul, and Fousheé. New singles 'Linknb' and 'Idea 1' accompany the reveal.
Kelela revealed details of New Avatar, her upcoming third album, which pays homage to her early days in the D.C. indie scene before transitioning to electronic-tinged R&B. The full-length arrives July 10 and includes tracks like 'Idea 1,' 'Point Blank,' 'Goin Down,' and 'Outta Time' featuring A.K. Paul. Other songs are 'Against Me,' 'Crystalize,' 'Retaliation Lullaby,' 'Linknb,' 'Don’t Piss Me Off,' 'New Life Forms' with Fousheé, 'The Bridge' with PinkPantheress, and 'If We Meet Again.'To promote the album, Kelela released a music video directed by Mischa Notcutt for 'Linknb,' filled with New York city landscape shots. The announcement follows fan speculation sparked by her Instagram wipe in March and an April SoHo screening where she previewed her 'new era' with 'Idea 1.''This album finds solace in confronting,' Kelela said in a statement. 'I don’t want the music to be a distraction from what's really going on in the world; I want it to make sense in this crazy moment while helping people get in touch with the beauty and joy they’re also experiencing.' Her previous album, Raven, came out in 2023 and was followed by a remix project with artists including LSDXOXO, Tygapaw, and Shygirl.Rolling Stone confirmed the July 10 release date in a post highlighting the new project.
