Almost ten years. That’s how long fans have waited for new music from Daley, the soulful UK singer known for his intimate, genre-blending R&B. Now he’s back, and he’s bringing something that feels both deeply personal and universally felt.
What does the album title “Strange Nature” actually mean?
For Daley, the title captures how life rarely goes according to plan. “It’s really summarizing how things don’t always unfold the way that you think they will,” he explains. That includes the nature of falling in love, the nature of life, and the nature of death. Sometimes that unpredictability turns out strange and beautiful. Sometimes it’s strange and ugly. Daley says the journey behind this album ultimately landed on the beautiful side.
Why did Daley make music after losing his father?
Music has always meant more to Daley than performance. “There is something divine about the ability to translate emotion through melody,” he says. Though he wasn’t raised in an especially religious household, he describes singing as a spiritual act, a way of connecting to something larger than himself while sharing that connection with listeners.
That sense of purpose carried Daley through the loss of his father during the making of Strange Nature. Interestingly, the album isn’t a grief record. “The whole album is about that, because it’s like what my dad would want me to be doing,” Daley says. In one of his father’s final lucid moments, a family member asked how the album was coming along. Daley told him it was nearly finished. His father laughed. That memory now sits at the emotional core of the project, even without a single explicit reference to loss.
What are Daley’s new singles “Lavender” and “Slide” about?
“Lavender” was among the first songs written for the album, created with UK producer Swindle and guitarist Tom Ford. Daley describes it as a metaphor for the softness, bliss, and sensuality shared between two people who tune out the rest of the world.
“Slide,” by contrast, was the last song completed for the project, born from a need to lighten the mood during a stressful mixing session. Daley wanted to reconnect with the joy of making music, and the result feels like a family reunion in a backyard, full of warmth and good energy. He’s already fielding requests from fans hoping for an official dance to go with it.
What themes does “Strange Nature” explore?
Daley calls it a love album, a life album, a breakup album, and a celebration album, all at once. Tracklist moments range from a song suited for walking down the aisle to a stripped-down, cutthroat piano ballad about heartbreak, built from a real breakup Daley wrote about as he was living through it.
Who’s featured on “Strange Nature?”
Confirmed features include Robert Glasper and longtime collaborator Marsha Ambrosius, who previously joined Daley on his breakout song “Alone Together.”
The most tantalizing tease, though, involves Stevie Wonder. After performing a duet of “You and I” at Wonder’s show at Crypto.com Arena, the two began writing an original song together at the piano. Daley isn’t sure it’ll be ready in time for the September release, but he hasn’t ruled out a future deluxe edition.
When does “Strange Nature” come out, and where can fans see Daley live?
Strange Nature releases September 18 on all streaming platforms and vinyl. Daley’s supporting tour includes two Atlanta shows at City Winery on October 6 and 7.
Ready for Daley’s Return
Nearly a decade in the making, Strange Nature is shaping up to be Daley’s most personal project yet, one built on loss, love, and the belief that shared experience is what music does best. Mark your calendars for September 18, and if you’re in Atlanta, grab tickets to catch Daley live at City Winery on October 6 or 7.