Mykki Blanco has announced the release of a new mini-album, Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep, out on June 18th via Transgressive Records. The album will be available via all DSPs on that date with the physical formats available on October 1st 2021. It marks Mykki’s first official release in nearly five years since his debut full-length Mykki album.
Today Mykki has also shared the second taste of Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep by way of the new single “Love Me” (ft. Jamila Woods & Jay Cue). The track was written by Mykki but elevated by the contribution of Jamila Woods as well as Mykki’s real-life brother, Jay Cue. It was produced by Daniel Fisher (Physical Therapy) with additional production by FaltyDL.
Mykki shares: “‘Love Me’ is essentially about so many forms of love, patience, trust, time. It is about the potion that is created when you sift through the ingredients that create “love”, the alchemy we as human beings take part in to convey these feelings deep inside of us. Jamila really comprises a lot of elements creatively that I just find awesome. Her soothing, soulful and folkloric voice reminiscent of great musicians like Janis Ian or Joni Mitchell. I was completely drawn into Jamila’s leaning towards crafting songs with strong lyricism, poetry and themes exploring self-love, intimacy, Black pride, power and vulnerability, so I approached her about working with me and sent her the instrumental for ‘Love Me.’ She made my lyrics her own and created a hazy, cozy, mystical vibe to the production that really planted the seeds of what “Love Me” became. Months later I asked my little brother Jaycue (yes my real brother), to join in on the song. His section of the song he wrote himself and he poured himself into it, heart and soul. That day working with my brother impressed me so much because it was like seeing my own creativity, our family bond, his intense creative force just all coming together and it was extremely emotional for me and it really cemented for me what ‘Love Me’ is about.”
The track’s producer, Fisher says: “Mykki and I were roommates in Chicago in 2006 and best friends since. They literally spotted me on the sidewalk one day, decided we should be friends and my life hasn’t been the same since. I followed them to NYC in 2008, where they introduced me to club music and we eventually started a band together. Ever since that band ended we have been trying to collaborate on a Mykki Blanco track. ‘Love Me’ really is the culmination of so much history for us.”
Listen to “Love Me” (ft. Jamila Woods & Jay Cue) below:
About Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep, Mykki says, “For me, I am one of those artists who many would say has taken the longer road to get to where I am now, but it’s that journey which has been the reward because the journey really has been my life; the career has just been the outer shell to the deeper things that I’ve experienced, and I can only be here now because of this journey.”
Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep artwork & tracklist:
1. “Trust A Little Bit (God Colony Version)”
2. “Free Ride”
3. “Summer Fling” (feat. Kari Faux)
4. “It’s Not My Choice” (feat. Blood Orange)
5. “Fuck Your Choices”
6. “Love Me” (feat. Jamila Woods and Jay Cue)
7. “Want From Me” (feat. Bruno Ribeiro)
8. “Patriarchy Ain’t The End of Me”
9. “That’s Folks” (feat. Big Freedia)