Erykah Badu and the Alchemist set debut album release

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Erykah Badu and the Alchemist set debut album release

Developed over time first seen 2 months ago

Pitchfork · 2 months ago

Erykah Badu and producer the Alchemist will release their first joint album on 28 August, following early indications of the project in spring 2025. The announcement includes a new track, “Witch Doctor”, and confirms that the pair will tour North America together next month.

Badu and the Alchemist, whose real name is Alan Maman, co-produced the album over 18 months in Dallas and Los Angeles. Although it was previously reported to be titled *Abi & Alan*, no official title has been announced; it will be released through Control Freaq/Young and is expected to include the earlier single “Next to You”.

  • Badu and the Alchemist’s joint debut arrives on 28 August.
  • “Witch Doctor” accompanies the release announcement.
  • The album currently has no confirmed title.

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Erykah Badu is an American singer and songwriter known for mixing soul, jazz and hip-hop influences. She became a leading figure in neo-soul, a style that drew on classic soul music while using modern rhythms and production.

The Alchemist, whose real name is Alan Maman, is an American hip-hop producer with a long record of work with rappers and underground artists. His production is often built around sampled sounds and carefully layered beats, making his work influential in modern rap.

A full project from the pair brings together artists from different but overlapping musical worlds: Badu’s vocal-led soul and the Alchemist’s hip-hop production. Their collaboration has attracted interest because both have established, distinctive styles and have rarely worked together on an album-length release.

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Originally published by Pitchfork as “Erykah Badu and the Alchemist Finally Releasing Joint Album This Month”.