Candyland (Brooke Candy album)

Candyland is the upcoming second studio album by American musician Brooke Candy, set to release on July 25, 2024.[2] It is her first finalized project since the release of her debut album Sexorcism (2019) and is reportedly split into a double album, with the second volume releasing separately in the following months after the release of the first.[2][3] It features a wider array of genres and styles than the largely trap-based sound showcased throughout her previous album, a choice which Candy has attributed to the desire to "give a taste of each individual facet of [her] brain", ultimately describing the album as "candy-coated pop".[2]

Candyland
Candyland: Vol. 1 cover
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 25, 2024
Genre
Producer
Brooke Candy chronology
Sexorcism
(2019)
Candyland
(2024)
Singles from Candyland
  1. "Safe Word"
    Released: February 22, 2024
  2. "Pills"
    Released: May 30, 2024
  3. "Block"
    Released: June 25, 2024

Background

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Following the release of her debut album Sexorcism (2019), which received mixed reviews from professional critics, Candy took a hiatus from music to focus on her newly developing tattooing career throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Although music videos for her songs "Honey Pussy" and "Cum" were released during this time, no new music was released throughout 2020 or 2021, with Candy even being named a "former rapper" in an article by Exclaim! in April 2021.[4] Candy later admitted that she had been "on the verge of quitting" during this time, which she attributed to feeling overlooked and "invisible" as a musician.[5]

In an interview with Inked in November 2021, Candy revealed that she had been recording new material in the studio, having changed her mind about abandoning music as a career after being invited back into the studio by old collaborators.[6] She also discussed her willingness to re-sign to a major record label after having learned enough about the inner workings of the music industry, announcing that production of her sophomore studio album had recently begun in London that year.[6] In May 2022, an article was published by Paper Magazine in which Candy revealed that new music would be arriving that summer, citing Britney Spears as an inspiration and naming producer duo DAGR as an early collaborator on the then-untitled album. Candy also highlighted the increase in creative control she would be implementing over her upcoming music and hinted at experimentation with new genres, stating "what I’m working on now feels different and not what people who know me should expect. It’s still me – I’m still a Boss Bitch – but three years ago feels like 30 years ago, and we’re all different now."[7]

Promotion

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Singles

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On August 29, 2022, Candy formally announced the upcoming release of her new single "Flip Phone", her first song in nearly three years, which had previously been performed at select music festivals over the summer among a small batch of other then-unreleased songs. "Flip Phone" was officially released on September 9, along with an accompanying music video sponsored by Paper Magazine and Gentle Monster, directed by Candy herself. The song featured a strikingly bubblegum pop and hyperpop sound, contrasting much of Candy's previous hip hop-adjacent outputs, which Candy attributed to "[having] a lot of fun experimenting with new forms of pop music". It was described as the first taster from Candy's second album, which briefly had the working title Freaky Princess.[3]

On October 14, 2022, a second single "Yoga" was released in collaboration with Croatian musician Only Fire, featuring influences of house music, as well as elements of techno.[8] The song was accompanied by a visualizer directed by and starring American dancer Lexee Smith.[8] This single was followed by a third song, "Juicy Fruit" on February 14, 2023.[9][10] The song features electroclash-themed production and backing vocals from Cecile Believe, and Candy described the track as "very Peaches".[8][9] In a promotional interview with Only Fire around this time, Candy expressed indecisiveness on whether or not "Juicy Fruit" and her previous two singles would end up on a completed project, debating on including them on an EP or leaving them as standalone singles.[8] A fourth previously teased single was released on July 27, 2023, "FMUATW", which was described by Candy in a Paper Magazine article as "the newest installment in a string of horny singles [she] wanted to release through the past year".[11] It was followed by an accompanying three-track remix EP on September 22, featuring contributions from Only Fire, BABYNYMPH, and PC Music's Umru.[12]

Candy released the official lead single from the album, "Safe Word", on February 22, 2024.[5][13][1] It featured a distinctly more futurepop and house-influenced sound than Candy's previously released singles, describing it in an interview with HypeBae as "a dirty, dark fantasy" that summed up the theme of the album it would later be released as a part of.[14] In an interview with Clash, Candy explained that she had rerouted the direction she would be taking with her sophomore album, claiming that she was "in the final stages of wrapping up most of the music for it", also voicing her plans to embark on a tour in promotion of the album.[13] She also confirmed that the album would still be majorly pop, stating "it’s going to be really colourful, really fresh, and I’m going to try to create work that is different from what I’ve made in the past, even more beautiful and exciting than anything I’ve created before. I’m very proud of the music. I think the music is the best music I’ve ever made. So I’m very, very excited to share it."[13] "Safe Word" also received a music video directed by Candy's husband Kyle England, who she confirmed would also be directing her next two videos as well.[13] In the video, Candy debuts a bright-orange hairstyle, citing Madonna as an inspiration for the stylistic change to represent the album's era, stating "you can say that the color orange is a massive inspiration to me now and is the driving force behind everything I’m doing. It quite literally permeates every aspect of my life now."[14]

On May 30, 2024, Candy released the song "Pills" as the second single from her new album, which she also announced would be titled Candyland.[15] "Pills is a nod to the person I was when I first started to make music. It makes fun of how superficial the world can be. It’s about nihilism, being wild, and having fun. I just want to have a good time and be crazy because that’s where my head is right now. Right now, in my life, that’s where all of my music leads", she stated in an article by Click.[15] On June 27, 2024, Candy released the third and final single from the album, "Block", which was co-written by Charli XCX and produced by A. G. Cook and Dylan Brady. She also revealed that Candyland was a double album and would be split into two volumes; one that would be released on July 25, and the second slated for release later in the year.[2] Music videos for "Pills" and "Block" were also released respectively, both directed by Kyle England.[16]

Tour

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Candy is set to embark on the Candyland Tour throughout North America, among a number of other unannounced locations.[17]

Candyland Tour
Tour by Brooke Candy
Associated albumCandyland
Start dateSeptember 28, 2024 (2024-09-28)
End dateTBA
LegsTBA
No. of shows
  • 16 in North America
Supporting act(s)TBA
Brooke Candy concert chronology
List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, and opening act
Date City Country Venue Opening act
September 28, 2024 Santa Cruz United States The Catalyst TBA
September 30, 2024 Portland Holocene
October 1, 2024 Vancouver Canada Fortune Sound Club
October 2, 2024 Seattle United States Neumos
October 4, 2024 Reno The Holland Project
October 5, 2024 San Francisco Rickshaw Stop
October 10, 2024 Chicago Empty Bottle
October 11, 2024 Detroit El Club Detroit
October 12, 2024 Toronto Canada Velvet Underground
October 13, 2024 Montreal Bar le Ritz PDB
October 15, 2024 Boston United States Brighten Music Hall
October 16, 2024 Brooklyn Elsewhere
October 17, 2024 Philadelphia Johnny Brenda's
October 18, 2024 Washington Union Stage
October 19, 2024 Cleveland Heights Grog Shop
October 24, 2024 Los Angeles Zebulon

Track listing

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Candyland: Vol. 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Lollipop" (featuring Ariana Madix)
  
2."Das Still Me"Candy  
3."Crucify My Love"Candy  
4."Pills"
  • Candy
  • Samuel Catelano
  • Jordan Brasko Gable
  • Jason Hahs
  • Slush Puppy
  • Jahs
1:51
5."ATM"Candy  
6."Juicy" (featuring Rickey Thompson)
  • Candy
  • Thompson
  
7."Safe Word"
  • Candy
  • Jonathan Bach
  • Jordan Palmer
Jordan Palmer2:05
8."Respectfully"Candy  
9."Crisis" (featuring Lozeak)
  • Candy
  • Lauren Eakens
  
10."Block"2:10
11."Fish"  
12."Dirty Money" (featuring Deto Black)Candy  
13."Frink"Candy  
14."Go Go Go"Candy  
15."Dirty Little Freak"Candy  
16."Yoga" (featuring Only Fire)
  • Candy
  • Only Fire
  • Nicholas Arthur Weiss
  • Geller
Only Fire2:59

References

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  1. ^ a b Gerndt, Eliana Wood (February 23, 2024). "Brooke Candy Releases New Electro-Pop Single 'SAFEWORD'". V. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Lindsay, Ed (June 27, 2024). "Brooke Candy - Block (Single)". Wordplay. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Samways, Gemma (September 9, 2022). "Brooke Candy Has Entered Her Bubblegum Pop Era". Paper. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  4. ^ Gregory, Allie (April 5, 2021). "Brooke Candy Walks Elon Musk Like a "Doge" in Her First NFT Release". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Owji, Deren (March 5, 2024). "Brooke Candy Is Back". Office. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Preston, Devon (November 12, 2021). "Brooke Candy". Inked. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  7. ^ Moen, Matt (May 12, 2022). "It's the Dawn of a New Brooke Candy Era". Paper. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d Macias, Ernesto (January 6, 2023). "Brooke Candy Gives Horny Techno King Only Fire His First Tattoo". Interview.
  9. ^ a b Wille, Matt (February 15, 2023). "Brooke Candy Embodies the '80s Video Vixen in 'Juicy Fruit'". Paper. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  10. ^ Major, Michael (February 14, 2023). "Brooke Candy Releases New Single 'Juicy Fruit'". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  11. ^ Ponce, Kevin (July 27, 2023). "Premiere: Brooke Candy Debuts 'FMUATW'". Paper. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  12. ^ Major, Michael (September 22, 2023). "Only Fire & Brooke Candy Unite For 'fmuatw' Remix". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d Mills, Sasha (February 22, 2024). ""I Want To Have A Different Impact" Brooke Candy Interviewed". Clash. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Fong, Gigi (February 27, 2024). "Brooke Candy in Her Own Image". Hypebae. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Brooke Candy Reveals PILLS". Click. May 30, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  16. ^ Meehan, Tiarna (July 3, 2024). "Get a BTS look at the forest fairy beauty in Brooke Candy's 'Block' video". Dazed. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  17. ^ "Brooke Candy Concerts & Live Tour Dates 2024-2025 Tickets". Bandsintown. Retrieved July 21, 2024.