»new avatar« is where everything Kelela has been building toward comes into focus. She started writing her first songs in the D.C. indie scene before the club music and electronic production that defined her early career took over. With »new avatar«, she closes the loop: R&B run through distorted guitar living alongside new intersections in dance music, culminating in a sound that pulls from everywhere she has ever lived musically. The album also features collaborations with PinkPantheress, A. K. Paul, and Fousheé. »This album finds solace in confronting«, Kelela says. »I don't want the music to be a distraction from what's really going on in the world; I want it to make sense in this crazy moment while helping people get in touch with the beauty and joy they’re also experiencing.« The album reckons with a world coming apart at the seams, and the clarity that survival demands. »People also need to know that my friends and I are laughing constantly, and that humor isn’t a defense mechanism; it’s an expression of how sharp our read is and how clearly we see the world.« At its heart, »new avatar« depicts a multi-dimensional experience, and while the world outside is present, it never weakens Kelela’s resolve.