Photo: Germaine Dunes

Adrianne Lenker finds beauty in a break up on “Sadness As A Gift”, announces new album

Adrianne Lenker will release a new album called Bright Future on March 22 through 4AD. The Big Thief singer’s new solo record features co-production from Philip Weinrobe, alongside contributions from Nick Hakim, Mat Davidson, and Josefin Runsteen.

We’ve already heard the gorgeous piano ballad “Ruined”, which closes the album, and today we have an equally heartbreaking new single “Sadness As A Gift”.

With her poetic eye and mind, Lenker takes us right into the indefinable melancholy of a break up in “Sadness As A Gift” – but does so in a mature, emboldening way. Atop a country-esque lilt, she unfolds lines like “The seasons go so fast / Thinking that this one was gonna last / Maybe the question was too much to ask”. The sheer pain is tempered by a wide-angle view of life; “Kiss so sweet so fine / You could hear the music inside my mind / And you showed me a place I’ll find even when I’m old”. “Sadness As A Gift” possesses the wisdom and poise that we all wish we could have in moments of unbridled anguish.

Listen to “Sadness As A Gift” below or find it on your favourite streamer.


Adrianne Lenker’s new album Bright Future comes out on March 22 through 4AD (pre-order/save). You can find her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Her upcoming tour dates, including a spate of newly announced North America performances, are below:

21 March – KNOXVILLE, TN, USA, Big Ears Festival

19 April – GALWAY, IRELAND, The Black Box* (SOLD OUT)
20 April – KILKENNY, IRELAND, St. Canice’s Cathedral* (SOLD OUT)|
21 April – DUBLIN, IRELAND, Vicar Street*(SOLD OUT)
24 April – GLASGOW, UK, Old Fruitmarket+(SOLD OUT)
25 April – MANCHESTER, UK, The Hall at Aviva Studios+(SOLD OUT)
27 April – LONDON, UK, Barbican Centre=(SOLD OUT)
28 April – LONDON, UK, Barbican Centre=(SOLD OUT)
29 April – BRISTOL, UK, Bristol Beacon+(SOLD OUT)
2 May – PARIS, FRANCE, Le Trianon+
3 May – BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, Cirque Royale+
5 May – AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, The Concertgebouw= (SOLD OUT)
6 May – BERLIN, GERMANY, Admiralspalast=
7 May – HAMBURG, GERMANY, Kampnagel=
10 May – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK, The Royal Danish Academy of Music= (SOLD OUT)
11 May – STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, Berns=
12 May – OSLO, NORWAY, Chateau Neuf=

9 June – AUSTIN, TX, USA, The Paramount Theatre%
10 June – AUSTIN, TX, USA, The Paramount Theatre%
12 June – ALBUQUERQUE, NM, USA, KiMO Theatre%
13 June – TUCSON, AZ, USA, Rialto Theatre%
15 June – LOS ANGELES, CA, USA, The Theatre at Ace Hotel=
16 June – LOS ANGELES, CA, USA, The Theatre at Ace Hotel+
17 June – OAKLAND, CA, USA, Fox Theatre=
20 June – PORTLAND, OR, USA, Revolution Hall=
21 June – PORTLAND, OR, USA, Revolution Hall+
22 June – SEATTLE, WA, USA, Paramount Theatre+
25 June – SALT LAKE CITY, UT, USA, The Depot=
26 June – DENVER, CO, USA, The Mission Ballroom=
28 June – CHICAGO, IL, USA, Chicago Theatre=
29 June – MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA, State Theatre=

11 November – NORTHAMPTON, MA, USA, Academy of Music Theatre^
12 November – BOSTON, MA, USA, Boch Centre Shubert Theatre^
13 November – BOSTON, MA, USA, Boch Centre Shubert Theatre^
15 November – MONTREAL, QC, CANADA, L’Olympia^
16 November – TORONTO, ON, CANADA, Queen Elizabeth Theatre^
19 November – BROOKLYN, NY, USA, Kings Theatre^
21 November – ATLANTA, GA, USA, The Eastern^
22 November – DURHAM, NC, USA, Venue TBC^
23 November – WASHINGTON, DC, USA, The Anthem^
25 November – PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA, Union Transfer^
26 November – PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA, Union Transfer^

* w/ Ellie O’Neill
+ w/ Nick Hakim
= w/ Twain
% w/ Steve Fisher
^ w/ Suzanne Vallie