Dawn Richard Signs to Merge, Will Release New Album in 2021

Dawn Richard has signed to Merge Records, with plans to release a new album in 2021. Richard previously dropped a string of self-released albums, with her most recent full-length, new breed, arriving in 2019. The New Orleans artist is known for her distinct, forward-thinking blend of electro-pop, R&B and other styles. Last year, she released three singles—“Hold My Hand,” “Die Without You” and “Buttah”—in addition to a collaboration with Coco & Breezy, “U.” Before going solo, Richard was a founding member of girl group Danity Kane and duo Diddy’s Dirty Money.

Richard says of her new record deal:

I set out a long time ago to create a lane where genre was optional. Where a Black woman could thrive in electropop and Afrofuturism unapologetically. This record has been such a cathartic experience. To create an immersive story highlighting New Orleans culture through a futuristic lens has just been… a wild-ass ride. I’m stoked to take the wild ride with Merge, and hopefully the world wants to jump on, too. I plan to reshape the way people see and hear New Orleans. Hope you ready?

Read Paste’s 2016 interview with Dawn Richard here.