B-52's Cindy Wilson Announces Solo Album

Cindy Wilson has always been on the forefront of music’s cutting-edge: As a founding member of The B-52's, she was a pioneer of the New Wave sound that redefined music in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Wilson is known for her distinctly melodic voice and her remarkable ability to deliver powerful emotions in her music. Her work continues to influence alternative and mainstream cultures around the globe – and she’s still making new waves of her own: Out August 25, 2023, Realms is Wilson’s forthcoming second solo record released via Kill Rock Stars. And today, Cindy releases the dance-banger “Midnight.”

Cindy explains to SPIN: “Being in the B-52s has been a playful and creative endeavor. Doing the solo project with Suny Lyons has been too. I worked with Suny on a previous effort called Changes, and enjoyed working with him, so I asked him to do the next one, Realms. I feel the techno vibe mixed with other elements is modern and unexpected, which is beautiful. I got to use my strong voice emotions with the tender, and I love it. The first song Midnight, goes through the realms of midnight. It’s an upbeat dance dream of love at a magical hour. Inviting the listener to come along. Let’s go!”

Since launching her first proper solo project in 2016, Wilson has released two EPs (Sunrise and Supernatural) and one studio album, Change, collaborating with producers and electronic musicians Suny Lyons and Ryan Monahan to cultivate a contemporary sound that cuts through today’s noise, while staying true to Wilson’s alternative and punk roots. Marrying her instantly recognizable vocals with a backdrop of dreamy, ambient, and dance-friendly music, Cindy Wilson has made a fresh name for herself that extends beyond her band’s legacy, establishing herself as a singular force in her own right.

Nowhere is this more readily apparent than on Realms, Wilson’s spirited sophomore studio album and her most ambitious effort to date. Once again working with Suny Lyons (with Sterling Campbell contributing drums and Maria Kindt on strings), Wilson invites her audience on an immersive, enchanting ten-track journey that peels back the layers of our common humanity.

Bookended by the bustling, intimate indie anthem “Midnights” on one end, and the emotive, ethereally atmospheric ballad “Not Goodbye” on the other, Realms provides a singularly stunning listening experience for longtime Wilson fans and new listeners alike. From the glistening golden hues and soul-stirring vocal performance on “Wait” to the cinematic fever dream “Delirious” and the hard-hitting mix of pop and punk on “Daydreamer,” Wilson’s performances are as catchy as they are cathartic.

Realms demands our undivided attention as Wilson takes us on a kaleidoscopic journey through our own minds and souls. Through a series of colorful, dramatic outpourings and dynamic, finessed upheavals, it’s a carefully crafted record proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that Cindy Wilson continues to have her fingers on the pulse of modern music. Pop in style and indie at heart, Realms is the next new wave of Wilson’s already storied legacy.

Photo credit: John Stapleton

To post a comment, you must register and login.