BRIT Award-winning artist Tom Walker announces his brand-new studio album, I Am, out May 31st, 2024. Alongside the announcement, the singer/songwriter shares new track “Freaking Out.” Stream the songHERE.
After becoming 2019’s biggest UK-signed selling artist, a number 1 debut album with What A Time To Be Alive, an international hit single in “Leave A Light On,” 3 million worldwide album sales and over 4 billion global streams, Tom Walker is poised to take his career to the next level withhis sophomore effort.
With his debut album, Tom Walker became acclaimed for his powerful accounts of other people’s stories in his signwriting, including a friend’s battle with drugs (“Leave A Light On”), and articulating his own relatable feelings for his now wife (“Just You & I”), he now finds himself writing abouthis own personal struggles and anxieties, creative challenges, sadness and moments of despair. It is a visceral account of who Tom Walker is now, hence the title: I Am.
“I Am is a culmination of me trying to figure out who I am for the last four years.” explains Tom. “This record is a snapshot of what’s been going on in my life, and what’s been happening around me – what’s made me happy or sad, ecstatic or miserable.”
The first taste of new music came last month with the rallying cry comeback single “Burn,” setting the tone for the project over urgent, hammering beats. “Freaking out” levels up Tom in all of the right ways – a huge song nailed with a dream team of producers Fraser T. Smith (Adele, Stormzy) and Stuart Price (Madonna, The Killers). It’s a personal cry for help which tackles social anxiety and addresses the re-learning of how to be himself, a creative artist forcibly stalled by COVID-19.
After writing, and throwing away, a plethora of new tracks, an exhausted Tom subsequently headed out to Los Angeles to write with the McDonough brothers, Toby Gadd, Ryan Daly & Castle, who’s credits between them include Beyonce, Joji, Khalid, Mimi Webb and John Legend. The trip reignited the excitement and love of trying brand new things.
The results speak for themselves. Besides “Freaking Out” and “Burn,” there’s “Head Under Water,” a soulful rhythmic pop anthem with a soaring vocal that, again, sounds like a whole new Walker. For “Holy Ghost,” think Hozier produced by Labrinth – hymnal, electronic soul, and finally, a mention for “Lifeline.” No one outside Tom’s inner-circle will be hearing this towering ballad until next year – the emotions behind it are too raw. It’s a searingly emotional tribute to a friend who died by suicide in March.
Next, on November 11th, where he will appear on Later…with Jools Holland, performing “Burn” and “Freaking Out.”
Looking ahead, as Tom succinctly puts it: “I will die for these songs. It’s the first time in a long time I’ve felt like that. You’ve got to ignore what everyone else wants from you, and you’ve got to back yourself.”
And with that, welcome to the exciting, limitless next phase of Tom Walker. A man who knows where he’s headed: to arena-scale songs with molecular-level heart.
2024 UK HEADLINE TOUR
4/18 – CARDIFF, The Great Hall
4/19 – BRISTOL, O2 Academy Bristol
4/20 – BIRMINGHAM, O2 Academy Birmingham
4/22 – DUBLIN, Olympia
4/23 – BELFAST, Ulster Hall
4/25 – SHEFFIELD, O2 Academy Sheffield
4/26 – MANCHESTER, Manchester Academy
4/29 – LEEDS, O2 Academy Leeds
4/30 – GLASGOW, O2 Academy Glasgow
5/3 – NEWCASTLE, O2 City Hall
5/5 – NORWICH, UEA
5/6 – NOTTINGHAM, Rock City
5/7 – LONDON, Eventim Apollo
Neill Frazer
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