In the Wake of Controversy, Travis Scott Debuts Star-filled ‘Utopia
Travis Scott has finally given us a peek into his much-hyped world of ‘Utopia’. And it’s brimming with superstars! From Queen Bey to Drake and Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo – they all grace this thrilling new album.
Queen Bey herself lights up the track ‘Delresto (Echoes)’, while ‘Meltdown’ boasts Drake’s unmistakable voice. The soulful ‘My Eyes’ stars the rare combo of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and Sampha. Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel joins the production team for ‘Modern Jam’, and ‘Telekinesis’ unites the forces of SZA and Future. ‘Looove’, a melodious collaboration with Kid Cudi, also credits Pharrell. Intrigued? Well, you can listen to it all below!
Beyond the album, Travis shook up the music scene with his single ‘K-Pop’, teaming up with Bad Bunny. The Weeknd and Swae Lee joined the party in ‘Circus Maximus’, while Playboi Carti and Sheck Wes showed up in ‘Fe!n’. ‘Skitzo’ captures the unique styles of Young Thug and India.Arie, and ‘Parasail’ even see comedian Dave Chappelle step into the musical fray. ‘Lost Forever’ features Westside Gunn, James Blake, Metro Boomin, Alchemist, Boi-1da, Kanye West, Vegyn, and more lending their talents to the album as well.
Despite a week filled with setbacks, including the cancellation of a live-streamed concert at the Pyramids of Giza, ‘Utopia’ arrives in style. The postponed show, delayed due to “complex production issues,” still awaits a new date. The news came as a surprise, just days after Scott debunked cancellation rumors.
At Rolling Loud Miami, Scott promised ‘Utopia’ would be with us by Friday. He also premiered a trailer for the upcoming film ‘Circus Maximus’, a project co-directed by Scott, Kahlil Joseph, Harmony Korine, Gaspar Noe, Nicolas Winding Refn, and Valdimar Jóhannsson. Despite an A24 logo featured on the movie poster, the production company later denied involvement.
‘Utopia’ marks Scott’s first full-length release after the tragic 2021 Astroworld festival in Houston. Following the incident, which resulted in eight deaths and numerous injuries, Scott faced a barrage of lawsuits. However, he was not indicted on any criminal charges.
He had shared two new songs just before the festival. His last album, ‘Astroworld’, dropped in 2018, following ‘Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight’ in 2016. His Cactus Jack label artists came together for ‘Jackboys’, a compilation released in 2020. Now, ‘Utopia’ signifies his grand return to the studio.