A Long-Awaited Return
It has been seven years since the release of Blood, the debut album that established Kelsey Lu as a singular force in contemporary music. That hiatus is finally coming to an end with the announcement of her sophomore album, So Help Me God, scheduled for release on June 12. Following the initial reveal of the lead single "Running To Pain," Lu has returned with a second offering: the evocative and intimate "Portrait Of A Lady On Fire."
The track is a masterclass in atmosphere, built upon a foundation of lush, sweeping strings and Lu's signature emotive vocal delivery. It serves as a poignant reminder of the artistry that made her debut so compelling.
The Inspiration Behind The Sound
Reflecting on the emotional core of the new single, Lu shared on social media: "That unspoken connection that can go on for so long, feeling forbidden to ever truly actualize but in all of that is what’s so luring and romantic about it…."
Regarding the broader scope of So Help Me God, which features production contributions from Jack Antonoff and Yves Rothman, Lu has described the project as a deeply intentional evolution:
"So Help Me God was built slowly and intentionally across seven years of transformation. Sonically and emotionally it holds so many different worlds at once — devotion and desire, collapse and becoming — trying to make sense of what it means to break, to believe, to long for something without seeing it clearly, and to be reborn again and again and again.”
Album Details and Upcoming Tour
So Help Me God Tracklist
- 1. "Reaper"
- 2. "Portrait Of A Lady On Fire"
- 3. "What Can I Do"
- 4. "Running To Pain"
- 5. "Comfort"
- 6. "American Sonnet"
- 7. "8 52"
- 8. "Only The Lonely"
- 9. "Better Than That"
- 10. "Cutting Off The Head Of A Ghost"
2026 Tour Dates
To celebrate the release, Lu will be performing a series of intimate shows:
- 04/16 — New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club
- 04/17 — New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club
- 04/25 — Los Angeles, CA @ Blue Note
- 04/26 — Los Angeles, CA @ Blue Note
So Help Me God is set for release on June 12 via Dirty Hit.