Kelela has officially announced her new project. More than a decade after we first discovered her through the groundbreaking mixtape Cut 4 Me back in 2013, the Washington D.C. born artist continues to evolve without losing the emotional depth and fearless creativity that made her stand out from the beginning. Her newly announced third album, New Avatar, arrives on July 10 via Warp and follows 2023’s Raven.
Kelela‘s New Avatar promises a rich mix of sounds shaped by her early years in the D.C. indie scene while still embracing the electronic textures and experimental sounds she has become known for. The album will also feature collaborations with PinkPantheress, Fousheé, and A. K. Paul. Speaking about the project, Kelela shared: “This album finds solace in confronting. 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.”
Alongside the album news, Kelela has also unveiled the hypnotic new single “linknb”, following the previously released album opener “Idea 1”. Produced by Oscar Scheller, “linknb” blends Kelela’s unmistakably fluid vocals with shimmering guitars that subtly remind us of ML Buch’s dreamy sound palette. In the track, she sings: “It’s not hard to be brave / Easier to give too much away. All I know is that I paved the way, underpaid.” The song arrives with a visually striking video directed by Mischa Notcutt, filled with atmospheric city shots. Watch and support below.
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