Freya Ridings returns with new single 'Weekends' with second album 'Blood Orange' to be released in May
Image: Josh Shiner
The UK’s Freya Ridings became one the world’s biggest breakout stars in 2018 when her single ‘Lost Without You’ climbed into the UK top 10 and achieved over a million chart sales in the the process. Her self-titled debut album, released the following year, shot to number 3 in the UK, with single ‘Castles’ breaking the top 20 in Australia. Along the way, Ridings has accumulated over 1 billion global streams.
Today Ridings returns with her first new music in almost three years with the single ‘Weekends’. Written by Ridings with Steve Mac (Mabel, Maisie Peters), it is a remarkable song and sees Ridings embrace a slick, soaring disco infused pop sound that moves in a snap from reflective strings and piano to feisty dancefloor beats.
Lyrically, the song is the opposite of its euphoric sound and relates the after effects of a traumatic breakup: “I don't really have friends / Don't go out on weekends / I don't have a lover left to hold…I’m so fucking lonely, no one really knows me / You are still a heart I want to hold,” she sings.
“There was a breakup when I got given my first platinum disc for ‘Lost Without You’”, Ridings says. “I had no one to call and I was sat alone in a bar in King’s Cross. I'd chosen to put the energy into my career, and you miss so many birthdays, people just stop inviting you because they don't think you're around. It looks as though I had thousands of people around me, but actually I was the most alone I’ve ever been. So that song felt like me being scarily honest with myself, which was hard.”
‘Weekends’ is the first release from Ridings’ second album Blood Orange, due to be released on May 5. Scheduled to begin work on the album in early 2020 in Los Angeles, lockdown threw all Ridings’ plans out the window and she found herself back at her parents’ house in her childhood bedroom. Heartbroken after her relationship breakup, Ridings took the opportunity to pour her emotions in emotional, vulnerable new songs. Initially inspired by heartbreak, as lockdowns faded, and Ridings found herself in a new relationship, Blood Orange was completed in a state of pure happiness.
“It's an album of two halves, 18 months of me being really heartbroken and alone and then 18 months of being the happiest I've ever been,” Ridings says. “So it's those two halves, the bitter and the sweet, and the transition from one to the other, and allowing yourself to go through that.”
Written by Freya with collaborations with Kamille (Dua Lipa, Little Mix), Will Bloomfield (Alfie Templeman, The Vaccines), LostBoy (Mimi Webb, Rita Ora), Phil Plested (Lewis Capaldi) and Scott Harris (Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes), Blood Orange’s 14 tracks see Ridings embrace the modern production of ‘Weekends’ but also trades on live instrumentation and Ridings love of the classic songwriters such as Carole King, Elton John and Fleetwood Mac.
Ridings has always been a special artist, with music that is warm, honest, relatable that quickly captures your soul, alongside her incredible voice. ‘Weekends’ is arguably one of her greatest singles and augurs well for Blood Orange which is sure to be one of the most anticipated albums of 2023.
‘Weekends’ is out now via Good Solider/AWAL Recordings. You can download and stream here.
Blood Orange will be released on May 5. You can pre-order and pre-save now.
To keep up with all things Freya Ridings you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter.
