Meg Lui has announced her debut album, *Instant Validation*, produced by Sufjan Stevens, and released its lead single, “Elvis Queen”, with an accompanying video. The announcement is notable because Stevens also performs on the record and is releasing it through his Asthmatic Kitty label, giving Lui’s first full-length project a prominent musical collaboration.

The 12-track album is due on 25 September and explores themes including love, family, technology and the uncertainties of one’s mid-thirties. “Elvis Queen” reflects on Lui’s late aunt, an Elvis fan; originally written as a slow ballad, it was reworked into a more celebratory song, with backing vocals from Stevens and Liam Kazar. The album follows earlier singles “Gone Girl” and a cover of the Cranberries’ “Dreams”.