Sad and Beautiful World is Mavis Staples' 14th solo album, due November 7 on ANTI-. Phil Cook produced the record, with guest appearances from Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Tweedy, Katie Crutchfield, MJ Lenderman, Justin Vernon, and Derek Trucks. The album includes Staples' covers of Frank Ocean's "Godspeed" and Kevin Morby's "Beautiful Strangers." Kevin Morby praises Staples for transforming his song and describes her performance as a career-defining honor. Staples will tour in fall 2025 with additional early 2026 dates, including a February 28, 2026 show at Beacon Theatre in NYC with Allison Russell; tickets go on sale September 5.
Mavis Staples has announced her 14th solo album, Sad and Beautiful World, due out on November 7 via ANTI-. It was produced by Phil Cook, with Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Tweedy, Katie Crutchfield, MJ Lenderman, Justin Vernon, and Derek Trucks all making appearances on it. The album includes her cover of Frank Ocean's "Godspeed" from June, and she's shared another track, a rendition of Kevin Morby's "Beautiful Strangers," which you can hear below.
But hearing Mavis sing 'Beautiful Strangers' is hands down the greatest moment and highest honor of my career. Far beyond any kind of accolade or acclaim - having one of my biggest heroes sing something I wrote is the most validating and flattering thing that could ever happen to me as a songwriter and person. Thank you, Mavis. Mavis also wields that extremely rare power to take a song somebody else wrote and make it entirely her own.
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