Though it’s an album rooted in themes of depression and loneliness, ‘I Got Too Sad For My Friends’ is far from downcast, it’s an album that stays fully present in its feelings and plunges its fingers into the earth – even when it can be painful to do so. Produced by Luke Smith (Foals, Shygirl, Depeche Mode) and featuring collaborations with the aforementioned Cassandra Jenkins, Becca Mancari and Helado Negro, it retains Shura’s usual crystalline sound and precision while introducing a different kind of warmth and earthiness.
Across the last decade, Shura has achieved critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase with the brooding synth-pop of her 2016 debut, Nothing’s Real, a coming-of-age debut which captured the intensity of young heartbreak and queerness, and the aforementioned forevher (2019), which explored the euphoria of love and connection with its soulful and expansive bounce. She has performed at some of the biggest festivals in the world including Glastonbury, Primavera Sound and Coachella, sold-out historic London venues such as The Roundhouse, Koko and Kentish Town Forum and supported the likes of Tegan and Sara and M83 on tour. She’s collaborated with an esteemed and eclectic array of artists including Mura Masa, Tracey Thorn, Rosie Lowe, with remixors re-interpreting her music from Four Tet, Tourist, Warpaint, Jungle, Factory Floor, Prins Thomas and Lindstrom and Jono Ma. Shura’s global streams stand at over 200 million and her music has been used in TV phenomenons like Heartstopper and Sex Education.
The artwork for ‘I Got Too Sad For My Friends’ depicts 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. The image captures everything about the album, which documents a rocky period of sadness and isolation in pastoral terms. Its warm blend of chamber pop, sixties folk and campfire Americana builds the singer’s acutely introspective songwriting out into a vast landscape. ‘I Got Too Sad For My Friends’ reveals a candid and deeply vulnerable new chapter in Shura’s evolving artistry, stay tuned for more.