Smile! :D | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 26, 2024 | |||
Label | Mom + Pop | |||
Producer | Porter Robinson | |||
Porter Robinson chronology | ||||
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Singles from Smile! :D | ||||
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Smile! :D (stylized in lowercase) is the upcoming third studio album by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson. It is set to be released on July 26, 2024. Two singles, "Cheerleader" and "Knock Yourself Out XD", were released for the album. It will be supported by a world tour set to begin on August 29 and end in 2025.
Robinson experienced an initial surge of popularity at age 18, [1] after the release of several festival-oriented electronic dance music works such as "Say My Name" (2010) and Spitfire (2011). Robinson grew increasingly dissatisfied with his performances, and said that he experienced "four or five fully-blown anxiety attacks onstage" while touring in 2013. [2] His desire to change his musical style led him to write his debut album Worlds (2014), a work that DJ Mag's John Ochoa has retrospectively described as a "breakthrough" that precipitated a wider shift in the electronic music industry. [3] In 2016, Robinson released " Shelter", a collaboration with friend and fellow electronic producer Madeon. [4] In 2017, Robinson released Virtual Self, a eurodance- and trance-inspired production released under an alias of the same name. [5] " Ghost Voices", a single from the EP, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2018. [6] In 2021, Robinson released his second studio album Nurture, a work which explores his experiences with depression and writer's block and represents a major stylistic shift in his discography, according to AllMusic's Paul Simpson. [4]
On February 29, 2024, Robinson uploaded a video to his YouTube channel describing the removal of all of his music from online streaming services and the end of his career, which was noted by an EDM.com writer as "cryptic". The content of his website was replaced with a countdown timer, [7] [8] and all previous posts were removed from Robinson's Instagram profile. [9] [10] He also seemingly confirmed his decision to a reporter that day in a "troll job", according to an Uproxx commentator. [11] However, Robinson revealed on March 1 that he had completed his third album, posting promotional images and videos to social media. [9]
On April 23, 2024, he announced that the album would be titled Smile! :D and that it will be released on July 26. [12] Discussing the composition process, Robinson said he intended to create a work that was "no sincerity, all fun, [and] an album that revels in absurdity for a world that rejects context", but eventually began to write about his emotions. [12] [13]
On April 25, he announced the "Smile! :D World Tour", his first world tour. [14] [15] [16] It is set to begin at MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston, Massachusetts and conclude in South America. The tour will be supported by artists Ericdoa, Galileo Galilei and Underscores. [17]
On March 20, 2024, Robinson released the single "Cheerleader", his first solo release since 2021. On writing the song, he said that he intended to create something that audiences would "love with zero context – just instantaneous, universal, explosive connection". [18] The song was released with a music video directed by Hugh Mulhern. [19]
The second single from the album, "Knock Yourself Out XD", was released on April 24, 2024. [13]