Shura has announced her long-awaited return with new album ‘I Got Too Sad For My Friends’ set to be released on May 30th via Play It Again Sam. To mark the occasion the cult songwriter has shared the album’s first single ‘Recognise’ her first original material since 2019’s critically acclaimed album ‘forevher’.

It’s safe to say Shura has experienced highs and lows in the post-forevher years. Real name Alexandra Lilah Denton, Shura became a pro-streamer, played Baldur’s Gate 3 (twice), and made the Love Lies Bleeding-influenced decision to become a muscle mommy. The pandemic forced her to abandon the forevher tour midway and music became too painful to listen to as the music industry crumbled and Shura lost her sense of identity.

Living in New York and separated from family, she began pre-grieving for her loved ones while having a very real health scare of her own. She was physically isolated from friends, and felt emotionally isolated by them in turn. It’s only natural that such sadness would permeate into Shura’s work.

“Arthur Russell sang ‘being sad is not a crime’ and yet somehow when I went through a period of despair in January I felt that the best course of action was to hide myself away from the world. I think ‘Recognise’ is a song about coming out the other side of that feeling” explains Shura of Recognise. “Slowly coming to the understanding that everything is ok. And that ok – is good. That I can sit quietly, read a book, sip a coffee and deeply appreciate being here and everything that has happened and has yet to happen…”

‘I Got Too Sad For My Friends’ was produced by Luke Smith (Foals, Shygirl, Depeche Mode) and features collaborations with Cassandra Jenkins, Becca Mancari and Helado Negro. The album’s artwork represents both the good and bad experiences of the post-forevher years. Depicting Shura sitting alone on a mountainside, dressed in a baggy jumper, ripped jeans, Converse, and various pieces of armour that fail to cover her vital organs. Part Kurt Cobain, part Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet, part Zelda with a Walkman. She looks like she’s ready to get up and go again. Pre-Save / Pre-Order here

1. Tokyo
2. Leonard Street
3. Recognise
4. World’s Worst Girlfriend
5. Richardson ft. Cassandra Jenkins
6. America
7. Online
8. I Wanna Be Loved By You
9. Ringpull
10. If You Don’t Believe In Love ft. Helado Negro
11. Bad Kid ft. Becca Mancari

Pre-Save / Pre-Order here