This morning saw the release of Stormzy‘s third studio album, This Is What I Mean. Stormzy generally takes a step back from his grime roots to embrace a lush, soulful sound, led by “Firebabe” and “Hide & Seek.”
Stormzy flexes his vocal abilities throughout the project by being honest and vulnerable through mellow soundscapes.
Just before the album’s release, the artist posted a lengthy message to his fans on Instagram.
He made a point of acknowledging the musical shift, but stated that he has no plans to abandon rap or grime entirely.
“I pray that you listen to this album in your own time, whenever you can. Listen to it properly with no distractions. I pray that you listen to this album with an open heart and if you hate it after I promise to God I’m perfectly fine with that. I’m just grateful that you listened with openness,” Stormzy said. “I pray that it move you and captures your imagination and I pray that someone, somewhere feels it.”
