Nobody could ever accuse Kae Tempest of being work-shy. In just over a decade, they’ve managed to amass a staggering six poetry collections, one novel, three plays, a newly published non-fiction book, On Connection, and no less than four full-length studio albums. But somehow they still manage to find new ways to reveal themselves and the forthcoming album The Line is a Curve, feels like the truest expression of them so far.

On Connection is out today in paperback! My first work of non-fiction, it is a theory of creativity, drawing on the 20 years I've spent writing and performing. I love this little book. I hope you can get hold of a copy. https://t.co/kH6Oxe5Pvg pic.twitter.com/nZSY6VHPU4

— kae tempest (@kaetempest) March 17, 2022

Back in January, they announced that the album would be available on April 8. Since then, they’ve been dropping some of the singles to whet our appetites and the excitement has been rising. And yesterday’s release of the album’s beautiful fourth single ‘I Saw Light’ has really sealed the promise of a truly awesome arrival.

Having come out as non-binary in August 2020, the new work seems to reflect that and sounds almost autobiographical. They explained, “I think for a long time I was hiding a lot. So I was putting everything that I could into my work, but there was a part of myself that I wasn’t able to bring with me. Because I wasn’t bringing it into my life so I couldn’t bring it into my work.

“It is a point of concern for me that I had so much shame that I couldn’t show up for my community more in my work because I just wasn’t able to tell my own story; I just wasn’t there yet.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kae Tempest (@kaetempest)

Although Kae’s musical work has always evolved through collaboration, The Line is a Curve, is the first that sees them duetting with other artists such as Lianne La Havas, Kevin Abstract, and in the case of ‘I Saw Light’, with Irishman, Grian Chatten of Fontaines DC. 

Given the autobiographical nature of the lyrics, the pairing of other vocal styles seems somehow jarring but also works magically. 

“I love collaboration. For me. It’s the ultimate connection… when I started making my solo albums I kind of zoned in and I pulled this really tight focus because I was telling these really complicated stories. And then with this album, it just felt right. I wanted people with me in the process.”

Tickets for my UK tour are on sale now! Been working hard on the best way to pull this album out of the ether and into the world each night, it's going to be so deep so hardcore and so fucking beautiful. Come see a show. Tickets here ! https://t.co/L4NlCRGcFZ pic.twitter.com/7YhL8dDmRm

— kae tempest (@kaetempest) January 21, 2022

As well as the embracing lyrics and beautiful vocal collaborations, the album’s exquisite cover feels extremely raw and fitting of its autobiographical tone. “I knew I wanted my face on the cover because I wanted to welcome people into the record and I felt more able to do that. 

“Because of the lockdown and the forced time to reflect and because of some stuff that was happening in my personal life I’ve been through a lot. I’ve been through a time of reckoning, you know, and I’ve come out, I believe the other side of it, stronger. And part of all of that was just accepting some things and saying, ‘okay’. And so I knew it had to be a portrait.”

Kae worked with German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans to shoot the artwork and direct the video for ‘I Saw Light’.  Until next week, we’ll leave you with the new video just to get you even more excited.