Kali Uchis is on track to deliver on the first half of its promise for 2023. She announced that her album RED MOON IN VENUS will be released on March 3rd, 2023. Already on January 19th she released the first single “I Wish You Roses”. She has also announced that she will be performing at festivals and concerts in North and South America. RED MOON IN VENUS is just one of two albums by the US-American with Colombian roots to be released in 2023, according to an earlier announcement. It will be in English, while she will sing in Spanish on the second project, which has not yet been named.
A successful career between languages…
During her career to date, Kali Uchis has repeatedly played on this bilingualism. Already on her second release POR VIDA from 2015 she made the first public, albeit rather cautious attempt to write a bilingual song. Their breakthrough came with their debut studio album ISOLATION in 2018, which includes a full song in Spanish. The following album SIN MIEDO (DEL AMOR Y OTROS DEMONIOS), with which she was finally able to establish herself as a constant in 2020, does not have an English-language track at all. In addition to the history of her bilingualism, the preparation for the two publications in 2023 also clarifies another aspect.
Before announcing the albums, the 28-year-old revealed that she was planning to work with Ariana Grande – provided she has completed her ongoing film work on the adaptation of the musical “Wicked”. That still seems to be in limbo, but the greatness of the artists* with whom she works is indicative. In 2014 she was involved in a release of Snoop Dogg. Already for POR VIDA she was supported by Tyler, the Creator, with whom she has continued to work since then, Diplo and Kaytranada – for their joint song “10%” they won a Grammy in 2021. Uchis has also worked with the Gorillaz, Tame Impala, SZA, Jorja Smith and her current partner Don Toliver, among others.
…and between genres
Musically, she borrows from many genres and points to a wide range of inspirations. She described her first, entirely self-produced mixtape DRUNKEN BABBLE as “genre-defying”. This adjective also fits further. Jazz, soul, funk, R’n’B, Latin and indie pop and, as on the single “No Hay Ley”, released in 2022, house meet each other under always soulful, often very reserved singing. The products of this diversity, however, are surprisingly homogeneous and make it clear that she has found her own sound in the midst of it all. Together they hold the deeply romantic persona of the singer, which has been cultivated for many years and is always present in the aesthetics of her music.
The upcoming album RED MOON IN VENUS is supposed to be about love, the title takes on an astrological influence. According to a statement, she still doesn’t want to be tied to one genre and wants to remain experimental. The first single “I Wish You Roses” is more reminiscent of their early, more atmospheric work than of the R’n’B influences that are even more noticeable on ISOLATION. After 2022 was a rather quiet year for the musician, 2023 should now have a lot to offer.