Following a string of blissful singles, New York’s very own JW Francis finally releases his sophomore album WANDERKID this Friday, October 1 via Sunday Best Recordings (The Cure, David Lynch, dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip, etc). Alongside the release comes the equally exciting video for the title track, which perfectly sums up the album’s themes visually and finds JW bouncing through psychedelic locations all over the world. The title track is WANDERKID’s epicenter, originally written as a motivational theme song for the album’s protagonist. JW says, “I wanted the title track of this album to sound almost like a ‘Power Rangers’ theme song. Something I could punch the air to and say ‘yeah!’ It’s meant to be a pump-up song written to WANDERKID. Being like, ‘you got this!’ but also… I AM WANDERKID, so naturally it’s a bit self-deprecating.”

The follow-up to JW’s critically acclaimed debut album We Share A Similar Joy, WANDERKID is a concept album with 11 irresistible tracks exploring themes of escapism and the urge to break free. JW elaborates, “‘WANDERKID’ is an album about escape. It’s supposed to be a gut punch of a record about an anti-hero named WANDERKID who wants to get OUT: out of his living situation, out of his head, out of his life. This album is like looking out the car window with an urgent desire to be on the other side. It was finished during the most recent global pandemic, so hopefully folks find it relatable.” After recently completing his solo trek across the Appalachian Trail, JW is making his return to New York for a show at Elsewhere on October 8, before heading to the UK for his first ever headline tour to celebrate the new release.

JW is fast making a name for himself as one of the most exciting new artists around. Born in Oklahoma, JW landed in New York City at 19 to study Economics at Columbia University, but not before making stops, stays and stints in Vermont, aged 12 and Paris, aged 13. Whilst at Columbia, the troubadour started music blog Rare Candy and founded student-run recording studio CU Records. Musically, JW takes his lead from the greats of the Downtown scene – Patti Smith, The Velvet Underground, Television, Talking Heads, The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs – and is fast emerging at the forefront of the next generation of New York greats.