Kelela Announces New Album ‘new avatar’, Shares New Song ‘linknb’

Kelela has announced her third album, new avatar, which comes out July 10 via Warp. After sharing its first single, ‘idea 1’ – one of the best songs of April – she’s now unveiled ‘linknb’, a subtly luminous track produced by Oscar Scheller. Check out a visual for it below, and scroll down for the LP’s cover art and tracklist.

‘linknb’ was written during a period of writer’s block for Kelela, who was drawn to it as a mantra. “It’s not hard to be brave/ Easier to give too much away/ All I know is that I paved the way, underpaid,” she sings on the track.

new avatar, the follow-up to 2023’s Raven, boasts collaborations with PinkPantheress, A. K. Paul, and Fousheé. “This album finds solace in confronting,” Kelela shared. “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.” She added, “People also need to know that my friends and I are laughing constantly and that humor isn’t a defense mechanism; it’s an expression of how sharp our read is and how clearly we see the world.”

new avatar Cover Artwork:

new avatar Tracklist:

1. idea 1
2. point blank
3. goin down
4. outta time [feat. A. K. Paul]
5. against me
6. crystalize
7. retaliation lullaby
8. linknb
9. don’t piss me off
10. new life forms [feat. Fousheé]
11. the bridge [feat. PinkPantheress]
12. if we meet again