Willow – The Thread
Today, 2x GRAMMY-nominated artist Willow has announced her ninth studio album, The Thread due out July 24th.
To mark the occasion she has also shared a new single “Talk On The Hill” along with its companion music video.
“Talk On The Hill” draws inspiration from The Telepathy Tapes podcast and the growing exploration of consciousness, intuition, and nontraditional communication research. Ethereal and deeply reflective, the track channels a sense of wonder around the unseen connections that exist beyond conventional understanding, while inviting listeners into a meditative sonic landscape that feels both intimate and expansive. Influenced by the groundbreaking work of filmmaker and podcast creator Ky Dickens and researcher Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell, the song examines the boundaries between science, spirituality, and human perception. Speaking on the release, Willow shared: “I want to thank Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell and Ky Dickens for their extraordinary bravery in studying and documenting the quiet teachers whose gifts stand at the threshold of mysteries our culture has barely begun to contemplate.”
On The Thread, Willow delivers what she describes as a “devotional” album — a deeply immersive body of work examining the divine feminine, spiritual evolution, and humanity’s connection to higher consciousness. Long celebrated as a fearless sonic shapeshifter, Willow sounds more self-assured than ever here, grounding her experimental instincts within a rich palette of progressive R&B, alternative jazz, meditative soundscapes, and atmospheric soul. Reuniting with producer Chris Greatti, the album showcases not only the adventurous musicality that defined projects like empathogen, but an even sharper sense of clarity and restraint in her songwriting. Her mastery as a guitarist and composer remains unmistakable throughout, yet The Thread also reveals a new precision in her approach to melody and structure — distilling complex emotional and philosophical ideas into songs that feel immediate, intimate, and resonant.
WILLOW has established herself as one of her generation’s most fearless and boundary-pushing artists. Renowned for her powerful vocals, introspective songwriting, and ever-evolving sonic identity, she continues to redefine contemporary music through innovation, authenticity, and intention. From acclaimed live performances including NPR’s Tiny Desk and Saturday Night Live appearances to billions of global streams, WILLOW has cemented herself as a singular creative force with undeniable cultural influence.
Over the course of her critically acclaimed discography, WILLOW has traversed an expansive range of sounds — from the neo-soul explorations of 2015’s Ardipithecus and the psychedelic folk textures of 2019’s WILLOW, to the pop-punk energy of 2021’s lately I feel EVERYTHING and the experimental hard rock of 2022’s <COPINGMECHANISM>. Her 2024 album empathogen earned two Grammy nominations and debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, further solidifying her reputation as an artist unafraid to challenge genre conventions. Alongside critical acclaim, WILLOW has achieved major commercial success, including over 1 billion streams on her viral hit “Wait A Minute!”
She most recently released her seventh solo studio album petal rock black, a project written, performed, and produced entirely by WILLOW. Blending jazz, classical, and indigenous tribal influences into a meditative, genre-defying soundscape, the album features collaborations with George Clinton, Tune-Yards, and Kamasi Washington. With her vocals taking center stage alongside deeply soul-searching lyricism, petal rock black stands as WILLOW’s most personal and fully realized work to date. Her forthcoming album, The Thread is a musical offering imbued with feminine softness – an intoxicating blend of pop melodies, supported by syncopated rhythms, creating a listening experience that feels both intimate and ceremonial in its pursuit of an open heart.
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