The rising Duluth, Minnesota, singer, rapper, and producer Joseph Black returns to Capitol Records today with a lovesick new single, “Always & Forever,” inspired by a vivid moment of betrayal. Listen HERE. The track is Black’s first new music of 2021, and a brand-new offering for fans that fell in love with his introspective breakthrough “(i hope you) miss me.” 

The nakedly honest pop-rap track finds Black mourning a lost relationship over a blend of tense guitars, buoyant bass, and glimmering synth. The song feels like a summer anthem, despite Black spending the track recalling one of the most trying moments of his young life. “The whole song is based off of me walking in on someone I called a best friend—even a brother—sleeping with my ex-girl,” Black explains. “Me and my girl was going through a rough time and he knew how it affected me so he was helping me get through it, just to find out he was playing both sides all along. It hurt to lose them both the way that I did. That night plays back in my head every day like a scary movie.” “Always & Forever” is the follow-up to Black’s monumental viral breakthrough, “(i hope you) miss me,” and his most recent single, the powerful and affecting “Homesick.” The new track builds on Black’s ability to translate his personal pain into revelations anyone can relate to, which is quickly becoming one of the young star’s standout attributes. For those worried that a song as brilliant as “(i hope you) miss me” would be hard to follow, Joseph Black’s “Always & Forever” proves that the 21-year-old star is here to stay.

Take a listen here!