In February, David Byrne revealed he was working on his first album since 2018's American Utopia, which expanded into a Broadway production. Today, he's announcing Who Is The Sky? and sharing the lead single "Everybody Laughs" featuring his longtime collaborator St. Vincent.
Byrne explains of the song:
Someone I know said, "David, you use the word 'everybody' a lot." I suppose I do that to give an anthropological view of life in New York as we know it. Everybody lives, dies, laughs, cries, sleeps and stares at the ceiling. Everybody’s wearing everybody else’s shoes, which not everybody does, but I have done. I tried to sing about these things that could be seen as negative in a way balanced by an uplifting feeling from the groove and the melody, especially at the end, when St. Vincent and I are doing a lot of hollering and singing together. Music can do that — hold opposites simultaneously. I realized that when singing with Robyn earlier this year. Her songs are often sad, but the music is joyous.
Who Is The Sky? was produced by Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus), and, along with St. Vincent, features Paramore’s Hayley Williams, the Smile drummer Tom Skinner, American Utopia percussionist Mauro Refosco, and the Ghost Train Orchestra. Paramore covered the Talking Heads' "Burning Down The House" last year for the tribute album, and Byrne returned the favor months later with a rendition of "Hard Times." In 2012, St. Vincent and Byrne teamed up for the collaborative LP Love This Giant.
Last week Talking Heads celebrated 50 years of being a band with a "Psycho Killer" music video starring Saoirse Ronan. Next month they'll be releasing a super deluxe edition of More Songs About Buildings And Food. And, coincidentally, the band's Little Creatures album was released 40 years ago toady.
Byrne — who joined Olivia Rodrigo onstage at Gov Ball for “Burning Down The House” over the weekend — has also announced a slew of world tour dates; check them out below along with the "Everybody Laughs" music video directed by Gabriel Barcia-Colombo.
TRACKLIST:
01 "Everybody Laughs"
02 "When We Are Singing"
03 "My Apartment Is My Friend"
04 "A Door Called No"
05 "What Is The Reason For It?"
06 "I Met The Buddha At A Downtown Party"
07 "Don't Be Like That"
08 "The Avant Garde"
09 "Moisturizing Thing"
10 "I'm An Outsider"
11 "She Explains Things To Me"
12 "The Truth"
TOUR DATES:
09/14/2025 - Providence, RI @ Veterans Memorial Auditorium
09/16/2025 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Benedum Center PAC
09/17/2025 - Columbus, OH @ Mershon Auditorium
09/19/2025 - Akron, OH @ Akron Civic Theatre
09/21/2025 - Schenectady, NY @ Proctors
09/23/2025 - Syracuse, NY @ Landmark Theatre
09/25/2025 - Buffalo, NY @ Shea’s Buffalo Theatre
09/27/2025 - Washington DC @ The Anthem
09/28/2025 - Washington DC @ The Anthem
09/30/2025 - New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
10/01/2025 - New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
10/03/2025 - Boston, MA @ Boch Center Wang Theatre
10/04/2025 - Boston, MA @ Boch Center Wang Theatre
10/07/2025 - Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre
10/08/2025 - Portland, ME @ Merrill Auditorium at City Hall
10/10/2025 - New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
10/14/2025 - Richmond, VA @ Altria Theater
10/16/2025 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
10/17/2025 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
10/21/2025 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ Massey Hall
10/22/2025 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ Massey Hall
10/25/2025 - Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
10/28/2025 - Chicago, IL @ The Auditorium
10/29/2025 - Chicago, IL @ The Auditorium
10/31/2025 - Chicago, IL @ The Auditorium
11/03/2025 - Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
11/04/2025 - Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
11/06/2025 - Denver, CO @ Bellco Theatre
11/07/2025 - Denver, CO @ Bellco Theatre
11/11/2025 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
11/12/2025 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
11/16/2025 - San Francisco, CA @ The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11/17/2025 - San Francisco, CA @ The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11/20/2025 - Los Angeles, CA @ Dolby Theatre
11/21/2025 - Los Angeles, CA @ Dolby Theatre
11/25/2025 - Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall
11/26/2025 - Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall
11/28/2025 - Dallas, TX @ Music Hall at Fair Park
11/29/2025 - Dallas, TX @ Music Hall at Fair Park
12/02/2025 - Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
12/03/2025 - Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
12/05/2025 - Miami, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre
12/06/2025 - Miami, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre
01/14/2026 - Auckland, New Zealand @ Spark Arena
01/17/2026 - Brisbane, Australia @ Brisbane Entertainment Center
01/21/2026 - Sydney, Australia @ ICC Sydney Theatre
01/22/2026 - Melbourne, Australia @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl
01/24/2026 - Adelaide, Australia @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre Arena
01/27/2026 - Perth, Australia @ RAC Arena
02/12/2026 - Berlin, Germany @ Tempodrom
02/15/2026 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ AFAS Live
02/16/2026 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ AFAS Live
02/18/2026 - Brussels, Belgium @ Forest National
02/21/2026 - Milan, Italy @ Teatro degli Arcimboldi
02/22/2026 - Milan, Italy @ Teatro degli Arcimboldi
02/24/2026 - Frankfurt, Germany @ Jahrhunderthalle
02/27/2026 - Zurich, Switzerland @ The Hall
03/02/2026 - Cardiff, UK @ Utilita Arena
03/03/2026 - London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
03/04/2026 - London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
03/06/2026 - Glasgow, UK @ SEC Armadillo
03/07/2026 - Glasgow, UK @ SEC Armadillo
03/09/2026 - Manchester, UK @ o2 Apollo
03/10/2026 - Manchester, UK @ o2 Apollo
03/13/2026 - Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena
03/15/2026 - London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
03/18/2026 - Paris, France @ La Seine Musicale
03/19/2026 - Paris, France @ La Seine Musicale
Who Is The Sky? is out 9/5 via Matador. Pre-order it here.
