The wait is over for her devoted kingdom as BABY QUEEN today announces details of her eagerly awaited debut album. ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ is set for release on October 6th via Polydor Records and trailed by new track ‘All The Things’ which is out today. The announcement coincides with news of a UK headline tour and US shows in November.
‘Quarter Life Crisis’ features 12 tracks, including previously released singles ‘Dream Girl’ and ‘We Can Be Anything’ and was produced by long-time BABY QUEEN collaborator King Ed. ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ is available in multiple formats including CD, a deluxe CD featuring limited edition artwork from Heartstopper creator Alice Osemanand coloured vinyl.
‘All The Things’ features on the deluxe edition of Baby Queen’s forthcoming debut album. It is one of six songs Baby Queen has contributed to the soundtrack of the new series of the global smash Netflix show Heartstopper, which launched on August 3rd. The new series also features a cameo appearance from Baby Queen aka 23-year-old Bella Latham, who takes on the role of a performer at the school prom.
Speaking about her new single, Latham says, “All The Things draws inspiration from the relationship between two of the main characters in Heartstopper called Tao and Elle, but also encapsulates the emotions I was feeling very strongly at the time of writing it, so it’s a very personal song to me. It’s about being so enamoured with a person that the things that once brought you happiness don’t hit or affect you in quite the same way because all the things you used to want to do, you now want to do with that person by your side.”
Having spent the best part of the 2020s taking over London’s anarchic anti-pop scene and writing songs for a generation falling out of love with social media that transformed her into her genre’s reigning star, BABY QUEEN is discovering the more grounded and introspective side of herself too, leading to the creation of some of the most pure, excellent and affecting music of her life so far.
Elaborating on ‘Quarter Life Crisis’, Latham says, “This album tells the story of my journey through my early 20s – leaving my childhood and my adolescence behind but never really losing my childlike wonder and never quite growing up. The songs are all facets of what early adulthood has been like for me while discovering new parts of myself, my sexuality, my past and my place in this world. It has been lonely, chaotic, beautiful, devastating and inspiring and I think these songs reflect that, creating a space in which innocence and experience can live side by side as two conflicting entities.
I’ve always been really inspired by the dichotomy and tension between two opposite things – hence the name Baby Queen. Human beings are complex, and life and growth are complex and nuanced. I’m not sure anybody ever truly feels like they have it all figured out – I certainly don’t, but it has been the greatest joy of my life to be able to share my experiences with those willing to listen to my stories.
I really want this album to leave people feeling hopeful, because there is so much beauty to live through and look forward to and it truly is magical and extraordinary to be alive and to have the very short opportunity to experience every emotion imaginable.”
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BABY QUEEN today announces the first dates of her forthcoming tour in support of her debut album. The ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ tour of the UK followed by two US shows will go on sale here at 10.00am on 18th August. For details of a very special fan pre-sale, head here.
The dates are:
OCT 31ST BRIGHTON CONCORDE 2
NOV 1ST NORWICH THE WATERFRONT
NOV 3RD BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY 2
NOV 4TH SHEFFIELD LEADMILL
NOV 5TH NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY
NOV 7TH GLASGOW ST LUKE’S
NOV 9TH MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2
NOV 10TH LIVERPOOL O2 ACADEMY 2
NOV 11TH LEEDS UNIVERSITY STYLUS
NOV 13TH NOTTINGHAM RESCUE ROOMS
NOV 14TH BRISTOL TRINITY CENTRE
NOV 15TH LONDON O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN