A Long-Awaited Return
It has been seven years since the release of Blood, the debut album from the enigmatic and talented Kelsey Lu. Fans have waited patiently for a follow-up, and that anticipation is finally coming to an end. Lu has officially announced her sophomore album, So Help Me God, which is scheduled for release on June 12. Following the earlier reveal of the track “Running To Pain,” she has now shared a second offering: the evocative and intimate new single, “Portrait Of A Lady On Fire.”
The track is a masterclass in atmosphere, built upon a foundation of lush, sweeping strings and Lu’s signature emotive vocal delivery. It serves as a powerful reminder of why she remains one of the most compelling voices in contemporary music.
“That unspoken connection that can go on for so long, feeling forbidden to ever truly actualize but in all of that is what’s so luring and romantic about it….”
The Vision Behind ‘So Help Me God’
For her latest project, Kelsey Lu teamed up with producers Jack Antonoff and Yves Rothman to craft a sound that feels both expansive and deeply personal. Reflecting on the long gestation period of the record, Lu shared her perspective on the creative process:
“So Help Me God was built slowly and intentionally across seven years of transformation. Sonically and emotionally it holds so many different worlds at once — devotion and desire, collapse and becoming — trying to make sense of what it means to break, to believe, to long for something without seeing it clearly, and to be reborn again and again and again.”
Album Details and Upcoming Tour
With the album release date set for June 12 via Dirty Hit, fans can now look forward to a full tracklist that promises a diverse sonic journey. The album features ten tracks, including the previously released singles.
So Help Me God Tracklist
- 1. Reaper
- 2. Portrait Of A Lady On Fire
- 3. What Can I Do
- 4. Running To Pain
- 5. Comfort
- 6. American Sonnet
- 7. 8 52
- 8. Only The Lonely
- 9. Better Than That
- 10. Cutting Off The Head Of A Ghost
In addition to the new music, Lu has announced a series of intimate performances for 2026. She is set to take the stage at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City on April 16 and 17, followed by a two-night residency at the Blue Note in Los Angeles on April 25 and 26.
