Gabriella Cilmi will release Pure Love on 9th October, marking her first album in 13 years. The announcement arrives alongside new single ‘YRU Hanging Around’ and confirmation of a six-date UK headline tour for November.
The album follows Gabriella’s return earlier this year with its title track, which received a Radio 2 premiere from Gary Davies. Since then, she has appeared at The Great Escape, toured nationally as Beverley Knight’s special guest and played Australian dates with The Corrs.
A soulful album recorded live to tape
Gabriella Cilmi recorded Pure Love at Middle Farm in Devon with producer Peter Miles. The ten-track album was recorded live to tape and draws on deep soul, jazz and classic rock, with Gabriella describing it as the record she had always wanted to make.
More on Gabriella Cilmi
She has said the songs and lyrics are more unfiltered, while the recordings carry a rawness that makes the project feel like her purest work. The album takes inspiration from records including Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks and Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen, with spirit placed ahead of polished perfection.
Contributors across the record include Anna Krantz, Justin Parker, Anu Pillai, DJ Yoda, Julia Church, Alex O’Shaughnessy and Jonny Henderson. The album will be available digitally, on CD and on a limited Goldie Locks-coloured vinyl with a signed double-sided print and sticker sheet.
New single ‘YRU Hanging Around’ brings the album’s classic soul influence into sharper focus. Gabriella has described the song as the moment someone realises they have spent too long waiting for approval and finally gives themselves permission to live on their own terms.
The accompanying UK tour begins at Leeds’ Hyde Park Book Club on 19th November before visiting Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester, London and Birmingham. The run concludes at Dead Wax in Birmingham on 26th November.
Pure Love tracklist:
1. ‘Pure Love’
2. ‘No To A King’
3. ‘YRU Hanging Around’
4. ‘Pieces’
5. ‘Too Far Gone’
6. ‘No Apologies’
7. ‘You Killed Our Song’
8. ‘Not Enough To Keep Me Down’
9. ‘What We Do’
10. ‘Love Me Like It’s The End Of The World’
You can pre-order Pure Love here and follow Gabriella Cilmi on Instagram and Facebook.
