By Colin 
Emily Chambers has announced her long-awaited debut album Barry, due later this year, and introduced the project with its stunning lead single ‘What Do You Want?’. The track arrives 5th September and marks a deeply personal moment for the Canadian-born, London-based artist as she steps into a new creative chapter shaped by grief, legacy and love.
Blending classic R&B warmth with modern soul vulnerability, ‘What Do You Want?’ explores the push and pull between longing and devotion. Produced by David Dorn and recorded at Farmland Studios in Nashville, the track wraps sultry vocals in glowing keys, smooth bass and a late-night intimacy that feels both timeless and deeply current.
“This song is a love letter to music,” Emily explains. “It speaks to the ache and comfort of that connection, and the courage it takes to stay devoted.” Co-written with Augustus Carroll, the song lives in a space between conversation and confession. Every note serves the emotion at its core, asking not just a romantic question, but something bigger: what does it really mean to give yourself over to your calling?
The single also serves as the first page of Barry, an album named in honour of Emily’s late father, who passed away in 2024 after living with Parkinson’s and Dementia. The title is more than a tribute. It is a mission statement. “This album is about legacy, loss, and stepping into my truest self as an artist,” she says. “‘What Do You Want?’ felt like the perfect first chapter, as both a question to myself and a challenge to the listener.”
A new chapter, live and on record
To celebrate the release, Emily will headline The Lexington in London on 8th September, joined by rising UK artist Maya Law. The show marks her first major UK performance since completing a transformative chapter in Nashville, where she spent six years developing her sound. Before that, she studied at Berklee College of Music and toured Europe in a baby blue camper van, busking and playing anywhere people would listen.
Her work has already earned placements on Spotify Editorial playlists like Fresh Finds and Mood Ring, and she has shared the stage with artists including Briston Maroney, Nikki Lane and Rayland Baxter. With Barry, Emily is no longer finding her voice. She has fully arrived.
Review
‘What Do You Want?’ feels like a whispered conversation in the dark. The track opens with warmth, but it is the quiet strength in Emily’s voice that makes it linger. There is space in the arrangement, allowing every lyric to breathe. The result is equal parts ache and acceptance.
It is an intimate introduction to Barry, but also a compelling standalone moment. The song does not demand attention with volume. Instead, it draws you in with depth. Emily Chambers‘ storytelling, supported by tender production, reveals an artist fully in control of her sound and purpose.
You can pre-save ‘What Do You Want?’ here and you can follow Emily over onto Instagram.