Kelela has returned with her first original solo material since 2017 album Take Me Apart, a new single called ‘Washed Away’.
The track arrived today (September 13) alongside a social media post in which Kelela said: "Please TRUST the bangers are on the way, but first: how’s your heart?" ‘Washed Away’ is believed to be the lead single from a currently unannounced new album, and its unveiling follows on from a series of social media teasers shared by the artist in recent days which have riffed on her absence from the music scene over the last few years. You can watch a video for the new song, set in Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression, above.
Speaking in a statement about ‘Washed Away’, Kelela said: "I love a banger, but for the first point of contact out of my hiatus, it felt more honest to lead with an ambient heart-check. I specifically want to speak to marginalised Black folk and highlight the work we do to find renewal in a world that’s built to make us feel inadequate. This song is the soundtrack to the relief we find after going inward."
‘Washed Away’ is out now on Warp Records.
