Calum Scott Streaming New Album 'Avenoir'
(Capitol) Calum Scott releases his hotly anticipated third album, Avenoir, via Capitol Records. The 14-song set showcases Calum's evolution as both a vocalist and songwriter, with an ambitious sonic palette that balances his signature soul-stirring ballads (singles "Die For You" and "God Knows") with groove-steeped romantic anthems like the previously unheard "Unsteady," watch the "Unsteady" visualizer HERE. Also included is Calum's stunning duet reimagining of "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" alongside the late and legendary Whitney Houston.
Avenoir borrows its title from John Koenig's book of neologisms, The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, which defines the invented word as "the desire that memory could flow backward." Reflecting on the concept, Calum explains, "'Avenoir' refers to how we move through life like a rower moves: always moving forward but facing backward, seeing where we've been but not where we're going. The songs on this album speak to both regret and sorrow, and to undying love - a plea to live life to its fullest."
That's particularly apparent on the guitar-driven "Unsteady," which finds the global hitmaker gripped by the unapologetic self-exploration; I'm a little unsteady, a little messed up, a little bit petty," But, by the time the moving chorus hits, Calum is on solid ground, and celebrating his own love story admittedly unconventional. "I've found a place to go, now I'm standing all alone with you," he belts, "'cause you're unsteady too."
Recorded with longtime collaborator Jon "MAGS" Maguire and production duo The Nocturns, Avenoir reveals Calum's newfound freedom and growing certainty as an artist. "As I started working on Avenoir, there was a level of confidence that I hadn't really felt on my first two albums," he explains. "I realized I've put my foot firmly in the door of the music industry and I'm capable of doing so much more than I thought possible with my music - and it gave me a whole new sense of freedom, allowing me to evolve."
Calum pushes his vocals to evocative new heights on poignant ballads "Die For You" and "Mad," a heartbreaking letter to his future child, but also ventures into bold new territory with songs like the funk-laced "Peripheral Vision," club banger "Roots," and country detour "One More Drink" with Lauren Alaina. Avenoir also features "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" - a stunning new version of the iconic Whitney Houston hit that pairs Calum's vocals with Houston's, marking the first time her original stems have been used. Recorded with the endorsement of The Estate of Whitney E. Houston, the new rendition transforms the dance-pop classic into a symphonic duet that subtly magnifies the song's mood of heavy-hearted longing. The release comes as fans around the world celebrate the 40th anniversary of Whitney's historic career in music and entertainment, which began with her 1985 self-titled debut album, which is now one of her three certified RIAA Diamond albums in the U.S.
In support of the album, Calum will embark on "The Avenoir Tour" - a global headline run set to bring his phenomenal live show to 48 cities across Europe, South Africa, Asia, North America and finishing in his home country of the UK. With his latest live experience including performing at stadiums across Asia and Europe as support for Ed Sheeran's Mathematics Tour, Calum will take the stage at hallowed venues such as London's OVO Wembley Arena, The Wiltern in Los Angeles, and New York City's Terminal 5.
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