Khalid

Khalid Embarks On A ‘Scenic Drive’ With Smino And Ari Lennox

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It’s been a couple of years since Khalid delivered a project to the world. His last release, his sophomore project Free Spirit, arrived in the spring of 2019, and since then, the Forth Worth singer has released a bunch of singles while he continues to craft his third album. That upcoming project, Everything Is Changing isn’t ready for a release yet, but to feed his patiently waiting fans, Khalid returns with his latest tape, Scenic Drive. “Been waiting for this one and I can’t wait for you guys to hear it,” he wrote in a tweet to announce the project last month and now it’s finally here.

The project is highlighted by its lead single which also features Smino and Ari Lennox. The trio brings their talents together for an enticing record focused on escaping to a better place with your partner. Khalid, Ari, Smino each detail the best aspects of their respective partners that they love to run away to. Elsewhere on the project, Lucky Daye, 6lack, Kiana Lede, JID, Majid Jordan, Quin, and Alicia Keys all make appearances throughout the nine songs that appear on Scenic Drive.

Prior to releasing Scenic Drive, Khalid spoke about the struggles and pressures behind making a new body of work. “I only wanna be the artist I want to be, because creating is what keeps me from losing my mind but my passion goes away a little more every day, he wrote on Twitter. “I just want to finish this album and it’s really driving me crazy at this point.” He concluded, “I’m gonna refocus, finish this album without stress, and put out something that I truthfully believe in.”

You can listen to “Scenic Drive” in the video above.

Scenic Drive is out now via RCA Records. Get it here.

Majid Jordan is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Khalid Prepares To Take A ‘Scenic Drive’ With The Fashion-Forward ‘Present’ Video

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R&B wunderkind Khalid has returned with the video for his new, mellow jam as he prepares to release a mixtape to hold fans over until his next album. After announcing that Scenic Drive would drop this Friday, December 3, the 23-year-old has released the video for “Present,” which he originally released toward the end of October.

Rather than plotting out a high-concept video, Khalid instead chose to have fun in the clip for “Present,” offering a laid-back smoke session with a troupe of beautiful, well-dressed dancers. The initial staging presents Khalid and his dancers as works of art, like classical statues before they come alive to run through joyful choreography and blow smoke in the air. Their costuming suggests that the baggy look favored by gen Z remains firmly in fashion, with quilted coats, tech vests, and billowy sweatpants aplenty adorning them as they grin their way through their uptempo dances.

Fans expecting Khalid’s new music to harken back to his impressive and beloved debut American Teen might be disappointed, though. In October, he explained why his music necessarily evolved to suit his life circumstances, telling a curious fan on Twitter, “I’m a whole 23 almost 24 years old, American Teen is not happening again.”

Watch Khalid’s “Present” video above.

Scenic Drive is out 12/3 on Right Hand Music Group/RCA Records. You can pre-save it here.

Khalid Reveals The Release Date For His New Album, ‘Scenic Drive’

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It has been well over two years since the last full-length solo release from El Paso, Texas singer Khalid Robinson, who last dropped an album, Free Spirit, in April of 2019. Understandably, the former teen star’s fans have been anxious for any new information on his forthcoming third album — information that he’s been reluctant to supply. Despite previously calling finishing the album “overwhelming” and saying he was losing passion for it, today, he finally shared all the information his fans could want on a new project, including the project’s title, tracklist, and most importantly, its release date.

The new project will be titled Scenic Drive and it will drop on December 3. Consisting of nine all-new tracks, the album will feature guest appearances from Alicia Keys (with whom Khalid previously collaborated on “So Done” from her 2020 album ALICIA), 6lack and Lucky Daye (on the song “Retrograde”), LA-based singer Quin (who has collaborated with and dates 6lack), Dreamville rapper JID, blooming R&B singer Kiana Lede, OVO dance-pop duo Majid Jordan, and rapper/singer combo Ari Lennox and Smino (on the album’s title track).

“Been waiting for this one and I can’t wait for you guys to hear it,” he wrote in a tweet announcing the new project. While his tweet didn’t cover whether this would be the same project as the previously announced Everything Is Changing, I’m sure fans are more than happy just to be getting a new project at all, whether it’s been renamed or this is just a side project to hold them over. Naturally, the announcement caused quite the stir on Twitter as fans marked their calendars, set their alarm clocks, and prepared to take this long-awaited Scenic Drive.

Khalid Requests One Moment To Collect Himself And Be ‘Present’ On His Latest Single

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Khalid is set to release his upcoming third album Everything Is Changing at some point in the future. Fans are still awaiting a release date for the project, but so far the singer has given them a decent amount of singles to enjoy as they wait. They include “New Normal,” “Eleven,” and “Know Your Worth.” The singer now adds “Present” to the mix thanks to his latest release. The track captures an honest conversation between the singer and a special individual in his life that sees asking for a moment to collect himself and be “present” with them.

The track arrives after Khalid opened up about the completion of Everything Is Changing in a string of tweets. “I’m really sorry to keep you guys waiting for this album because I want it to be out more than anyone, so much that finishing it has became overwhelming and I need to find that joy again,” he wrote. “I started this album and I felt free, like creativity was pouring out of me. I have some songs on here I know will change my life. I need to get back to making music how I want to make.” Towards the end of his message, he added. “I’m gonna refocus, finish this album without stress, and put out something that I truthfully believe in. I’ma be me at the end of the day, that’s all I can be.”

You can listen to the new single in the video above.

Khalid Tells A Fan Asking Him To Make More Music Like ‘American Teen’ Why That’s Not Happening

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It’s hard to ask for a better start to a music career than Khalid had. His debut album, 2017’s American Teen, peaked at No. 4 on the charts and made him an instant star. That’s thanks in part to a pair of top-20 singles, “Location” and “Young Dumb & Broke.” It’s been over four years since Khalid dropped that album, and naturally, as he has found his way into adulthood, his sound has undergone some changes. Now, for the fans who want more Khalid music like his American Teen era, he has something to say.

Yesterday, one fan tweeted at Khalid, “Gimme sum classic ‘American Teen’ music please.” His response was simple and probably the best way for that fan to scratch their American Teen itch: “just listen to American Teen,” Khalid replied. He added in a follow-up tweet, “I’m a whole 23 almost 24 years old, American Teen is not happening again.” He then offered a potential future album title, joking, “American Adult.”

Meanwhile, he also noted, “Next single comes out in 2 more weeks,” so keep an eye out for a new Khalid track on or around two Fridays from now, on October 22.

Khalid recently revealed that he’s had struggles with finishing his next album, Everything Is Changing, saying, “I only wanna be the artist I want to be, because creating is what keeps me from losing my my mind but my passion goes away a little more every day. I just want to finish this album and it’s really driving me crazy at this point.”

Khalid Says Finishing His Next Album Is ‘Overwhelming’: ‘My Passion Goes Away A Little More Every Day’

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Khalid’s career is off to a hot start: After establishing himself as one of the most promising up-and-comers with his 2017 debut album American Teen, he had his first No. 1 album with 2019’s Free Spirit. Now he’s working on his third album, Everything Is Changing. That album was given an approximate release window of this fall, but now it appears that may be in jeopardy.

On Twitter today, Khalid revealed that he’s feeling “overwhelmed” trying to finish the album, saying, “I only wanna be the artist I want to be, because creating is what keeps me from losing my my mind but my passion goes away a little more every day. I just want to finish this album and it’s really driving me crazy at this point.”

He went on to suggest that the album may be released later than initially anticipated (without explicitly announcing a delay), writing, “I’m gonna refocus, finish this album without stress, and put out something that I truthfully believe in. I’ma be me at the end of the day, that’s all I can be.”

Find Khalid’s tweets below.

“I only wanna be the artist I want to be, because creating is what keeps me from losing my my mind but my passion goes away a little more every day. I just want to finish this album and it’s really driving me crazy at this point. I ain’t even wanna come on here ranting but I gotta get this out of me lol.

I’m really sorry to keep you guys waiting for this album because I want it to be out more than anyone, so much that finishing it has became overwhelming and I need to find that joy again. I started this album and I felt free, like creativity was pouring out of me. I have some songs on here I know will change my life. I need to get back to making music how I want to make. the people who have gotten to know me over the years, I have faith that you’ll feel this music because it’s been authentic to me.

from American Teen until now I’ve made it my initiative to remain authentic to myself and who I am as an artist/person even when I had no idea what I was doing, I always trust my intuition. I write all this music from my soul, and will continue to do so. The only album I’m putting out is an album that I’m 100 percent in love with. I just can’t change myself to please anybody, I gotta live with myself at the end of the day so ima do what I want to do. when it gets to the point that the music I want out comes out… I got so much faith that it will resonate with you guys.

I’m gonna refocus, finish this album without stress, and put out something that I truthfully believe in. I’ma be me at the end of the day, that’s all I can be. I LOVE YOU GUYS. coming on here and speaking to you guys reminds me how much love we mutually have for each other. Thank you for supporting me because none of the success was possible without you guys holding me down. and that’s why ima keep doing this sh*t!”

Khalid’s Brooding Single ‘New Normal’ Heralds His Third Studio Album, ‘Everything Is Changing’

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Multi-Platinum singer Khalid has been serving up non-stop hits since his 2017 debut album American Teen. At 23-years-old, the singer boasts several chart-topping singles and a handful of Grammy nominations, so it makes sense that fans are anxiously awaiting news of his third studio album. The wait is officially over this week as Khalid has finally shared details about his third studio album, titled Everything Is Changing.

Khalid officially announced Everything Is Changing with the brooding track “New Normal,” which the singer actually debuted last week at Virgin Galactic’s “Unity 22” Spaceflight launch. Khalid hasn’t given an exact release date for Everything Is Changing, but press materials note it’s slated for a fall release.

The singer dropped “New Normal” alongside a video directed by Andy Hines, which sees him making his way through a futuristic city. About the song, Khalid said it was inspired by the difficulties of the pandemic and coping with the emotions surrounding the world reopening:

“‘New Normal’ was inspired by how I was feeling during the pandemic and the emotional toll that quarantine took on me and my friends. Everything Is Changing as an album really takes that a step further with all of the songs centering around trying to find a purpose and a sense of self in a world where everything is digitally connect but emotionally disconnected. As we all come out of quarantine and venture more into the world and try to reconnect with people we haven’t seen in over a year, I hope the messages explored within the album open up conversations and allow people to access their feelings in a new way.”

Listen to “New Normal” above.

Everything Is Changing is out this fall via Right Hand Music Group/RCA Records.

Khalid Debuts His New Single, ‘New Normal,’ At Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Space Flight Launch

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For some time after he released his sophomore album Free Spirit, Khalid kept things rather quiet on the music side of things. The singer shared a few singles in the two years that followed, but things have been picking up as of late for the Texas-bred singer. With his third album hopefully on the way, Khalid is back with new music and his latest is an effort titled, “New Normal.” As of right now, the track has not been officially released but the singer debuted it during a performance at Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space flight launch on Sunday.

Prior to its release, Khalid shared with Rolling Stone that the song served as his “personal therapy” last year during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Around this time last year, I was super fascinated and gravitated toward space,” he added, tying in the song with the space flight launch. “I was watching this comet by the name of Neowise last year, and space travel is something that I’ve always been interested in as well. And I’ve been going through the motions of understanding this new, postmodern future that’s coming together, especially when it comes down to technology — it’s something that really excites me.”

Prior to debuting the new song, Khalid teamed with Tate McRae for their collaboration, “Working.” Khalid also connected with J Balvin for “Otra Noche Sin Ti.”

Watch the performance at the 60:20:12 mark in the video above.

Khalid Will Perform A New Song, ‘New Normal,’ To Celebrate Virgin Galactic’s 22nd Space Flight

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The first Virgin Galactic Spaceflight is set to launch this weekend, and one of the Earth’s biggest terrestrial stars has a new song coming to celebrate the occasion. Khalid, the baritone-voiced Texan who most recently released “Working” in collaboration with Tate McRae, will be putting out “New Normal” on July 21, commemorating the landing of the Unity 22 crew after the 22nd flight test for VSS Unity. He’ll also perform the song live on stage for its debut.

Khalid told Rolling Stone, “Around this time last year, I was super fascinated and gravitated toward space. I was watching this comet by the name of Neowise last year, and space travel is something that I’ve always been interested in as well. And I’ve been going through the motions of understanding this new, postmodern future that’s coming together, especially when it comes down to technology — it’s something that really excites me.”

He called the song his “personal therapy,” writing it to help him cope with the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. As he explained to Rolling Stone, I had to come to terms with who I was as an individual and the type of person that I wanted to be. And to me, this song, it just embodies hope for the outcome of our future.”

The launch stream will go live at 7:00 am MDT/9:00 am EDT on the day of the flight at Virgin Galactic.com and on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

Tate McRae Is The Cool Babysitter In Her ‘Working’ Video With Khalid

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After dancing since she was in elementary school, 17-year-old Canadian artist Tate McRae is seeing a successful launch of her singing career. “I always used to say ‘I’m a dancer who sings, not a singer who dances.’ That’s how it always went,” McRae told Uproxx in a recent interview. Now after dropping her debut EP Too Young To Be Sad, McRae has linked up with Khalid to flex some of her choreography skills in the “Working” video.

McRae’s “Working” visual opens with her feeling despondent at a high school graduation party before it gives a look at what she has in store for the rest of her summer vacation. She gets a job as a laid-back babysitter, watching the kids play video games and go for joyrides in the car, all while she can’t help but get a failing relationship out of her mind.

Ahead of the visual’s release, McRae told Uproxx that she doesn’t want to be pigeonholed into just one genre. “The crazy thing is that I’m still trying to find my sound,” she said. “I think there are a million different ways that you can play around, and a different million different artists [to work with] that will shoot you in different directions. But I can’t really define what I do [musically]. I think it changes every month… you can do so many things nowadays.”

Watch McRae and Khalid’s “Working” video above.