David Byrne has a new album, Who Is the Sky?, set to be released on September 5th. This will be his first new album in seven years, following 2018's American Utopia. The album was produced by Kid Harpoon and features arrangements by the New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra. Guests on the album include St. Vincent, Hayley Williams of Paramore, and Tom Skinner of The Smile. The first single from the album, "She Explains Things To Me," has already been released.
To support the new album, Byrne is embarking on a worldwide tour. The extensive tour is produced by Live Nation and will include dates in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe and the UK. The North American leg of the tour begins on September 14th in Providence, RI, and runs through the end of 2025, with two shows in Miami, FL, on December 5th and 6th. The tour continues into 2026 with dates in Australia and New Zealand in January, followed by Europe and the UK in February and March. The live show will feature a dynamic ensemble of 13 musicians, singers, and dancers, many of whom were part of the *American Utopia* performances, who will be mobile throughout the set.
In other news, David Byrne recently made a surprise appearance at a show by the all-female NYC brass band Brass Queens on August 2nd at C'mon Everybody in Bed-Stuy. He joined the band on stage to perform "This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)." A relationship between Byrne and the band was already established, as they had played at his variety show in 2024.
