On his birthday, April 5th, Pharrell Williams has unveiled his latest project, ‘Black Yacht Rock Vol. 1,’ a 10-track homage to his Virginia roots, described as a “City of Limitless Access.” This surprise album diverges from the norm by being accessible exclusively through its dedicated website, BlackYachtRock, sidestepping traditional streaming platforms entirely.
MUSIC
Listeners of the ‘Black Yacht Rock Vol. 1’ will find themselves enveloped in a Pharrell-centric sonic experience, reminiscent of tuning into a radio station devoted solely to the artist’s new tunes. Featured tracks like “Richard Mille,” “Caged Bird Free,” “11:11,” and “Going Back to VA” showcase Pharrell’s versatility and deep connection to his hometown vibes. The album’s website is straightforward, offering audio recordings of each song for download, alongside the option to download the entire album. Fans joining the mailing list are teased with a cryptic “Stay tuned…” message, hinting at more to come.
As of now, Pharrell has chosen not to promote ‘Black Yacht Rock Vol. 1’ on his social media platforms, making the album a hidden gem for fans and music enthusiasts who stumble upon it. This release strategy adds an element of discovery and exclusivity to the experience of engaging with the album.
In addition to this surprise album, Pharrell, who is currently serving as the creative director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s line, is involved in several high-profile projects. In January, he has announced an extraordinary new biopic titled “Piece by Piece,” with LEGO. Pharrell is also collaborating with director Michel Gondry on a musical featuring Halle Bailey, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Oscar-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, which explores themes of growing up against the backdrop of Virginia Beach in the summer of 1977, inspired by the Atlantis Apartments neighborhood from Pharrell’s childhood.
Meanwhile, his collaboration with Miley Cyrus, “Doctor (Work It Out),” released on March 1, marks their first project together since the 2013 album ‘Bangerz.’ The duo teased the song in January during the Louis Vuitton men’s fall winter fashion show in Paris, signaling another hit in the making.
I downloaded this album but it’s really funny how we stopped downloading music and how this is a completely different way and actually our cake way of listening to music I do agree that streaming services are no good for the music industry and it’s better to give it out for free then to give those cents and well not cents to the music industry and streaming 😕
so when does he get to design and when does he get to make music haha