January 25, 2021 For Immediate Release

Announces New Album DEACON ​ Out March 26th on Secretly Canadian

Unveils Lead Single/Video “Fellowship” ​

(DEACON cover art by Braylen Dion) ​ ​

Baltimore-raised, Los Angeles-based artist serpentwithfeet announces his new album, ​ ​ DEACON, out March 26th on Secretly Canadian, alongside the album’s lead single, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ “Fellowship.” With DEACON, serpent is not only imagining but exploring a world wherein ​ ​ ​ Black love is paramount. It’s a study rather than a story delving into Black, gay love and the tenderness present in the best companionships, romantic or otherwise. The follow-up to his debut album, soil, one of 2018’s most praised albums of the year, DEACON allows compassion ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ to be the backbone of serpent’s art as he communes with his most loving self.

“Fellowship,” co-written and co-produced by serpent with and , concisely ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ champions the uplifting energy one gets from warm friendships. Throughout, serpent’s compelling voice glides over percussive beats and lithe instrumentation while Sampha and Lil Silva’s vocals join in for a lush chorus: “I’m so thankful for my friends, my friends // I’m ​ thankful for the love I share with my friends.” The video, directed by Kordae Jatafa Henry, ​ ​ ​ features intimate clips of serpent and his partner on a beach. "I dedicate ‘Fellowship’ to ​ anyone who has had a good friend or been a good friend," says serpent. ​

Watch serpentwithfeet’s “Fellowship” Video

Fully self-actualized and more devoted than ever to personal fulfilment, DEACON highlights ​ ​ serpent’s growth as a songwriter, embracing straightforward approaches to expression. The album came together after serpent relocated to Los Angeles, a city that provided a sense of tranquility, an aspect he pushed to capture in his new music. While crafting the album, serpent made the deliberate decision to exclude songs about heartbreak. This was a bold act for R&B, a genre quite literally shaped by the harsh realities the blues provide. Spending time with pop songwriters and observing how they traverse language encouraged serpent to take more risks lyrically, resulting in more purity. “I originally approached this project wanting to ​ make something that felt very sensuous. Something a lot softer, a lot more gentle than my previous work.” ​ serpent proudly follows in the tradition of R&B artists whose gifts were helmed in the Black church. Born to religious parents, serpentwithfeet has detailed his experiences growing up in church and leaning into the sensibilities of gospel music. He approached DEACON with an ​ ​ undeniable passion and reverence for the genre. The album’s title takes its name from the Christian office, a figure who helps maintain order within the church and himself. While DEACON is not quite about being in that role, “I wanted to create something that felt calm and ​ ​ restrained. This was my way of tapping into the energy many deacons possess,” adds serpent. ​

The project overall only hosts three features, Sampha, Lil Silva, and Nao, reminding listeners ​ ​ that serpentwithfeet is an artist who can, and will, stand alone when it is called for. He has become wholly confident in his gift and messaging, which is to be expected when one gives vent to maturity. In his love for love though, he doesn’t lean into common tropes. Instead they work in tandem, providing his audience with a look into the soul of a man who articulates his passion in a warmer, gentler way.

Pre-order DEACON ​

DEACON Tracklist: ​ 01. Hyacinth 02. Same Size Shoe 03. Malik 04. Amir 05. Dawn 06. Sailors’ Superstition 07. Heart Storm (Feat. NAO) 08. Wood Boy 09. Derrick’s Beard 10. Old & Fine 11. Fellowship

(Photo Credit: Braylen Dion)

Download cover art & hi-res images of serpentwithfeet

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Secretly Canadian ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

For more information, contact: Patrick Tilley | Pitch Perfect PR – [email protected], ​ ​ Sam McAllister | Pitch Perfect PR – [email protected], 651-528-3577 ​ ​ Ahmad Asani | Pitch Perfect PR – [email protected], 630-441-6522 ​ ​

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