The powerhouse soul vocalist Joss Stone returned with a new single and the announcement of her first new album since Water For Your Soul in 2015—titled Never Forget My Love, the British singer-songwriter’s eighth studio album is due in early 2022. The lead single and title track is out now.
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Co-written and produced by Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart, the new project captures Stone’s knack for impassioned performances while upping the ante on her sound, incorporating elements of the neo-soul movement that’s blossomed since she first debuted in the early 2000s. At the same time, there’s a certain charm and chic to the music that makes it unique—it strides “classic” and “modern” simultaneously.
“You know—think of Dusty Springfield, Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick—those kinds of classy, timeless songs,” Stone said in a press statement. “Think long gloves and a dress.”
Part of the elegance Stone is leaning into stems from the origin of the songs themselves—before they were outfitted with the sleek arrangements they have now, they were acoustic compositions put together while Stone and Stewart were down in the Bahamas.
“Joss and I have had many adventures around the world writing and recording and we have always enjoyed every minute,” Stewart explained. “We are essentially best friends, which makes it effortless. The music flows naturally between us. In the making of this album, Never Forget My Love, as usual, we started off small, just the two of us writing with an acoustic guitar. But if you were to hear those simple phone recordings, we are already singing and shouting out brass lines and string arrangements to each other—anyone listening would think we were crazy people. We have a secret musical language and it’s so special.”
For her part, Stone is thankful to be returning to full-length releases alongside such a trusted collaborator. “Dave and I have been great friends for a very long time and we have worked together on various projects—he has this calm, quiet confidence that encourages you to tell your story,” she said. “He is a breath of fresh air, very young at heart. And he always wants to lift you up.”
In the intermittent time since her last release, Stone has been anything but inactive—beyond music, she’s the creator and host of the podcast series, A Cuppa Happy, in which she dives into intimate conversations with the likes of Stewart, Shaggy, Boy George and many more. Learn more about that HERE.
Joss Stone’s new album Never Forget My Love is due in 2022—check out the music video for the lead single and title track below:
(Photo courtesy Fran DeFeo PR)
