Sudan Archives Announces New Album & Tour
Sudan Archives’ New Album
Natural Brown Prom Queen
Out 9 September on Stones Throw
Homecoming Tour Dates in Europe Announced
“Beyond its narrative sharpness, beyond its thematic generosity, the achievement of Natural Brown Prom Queen is, to me, not just in how it will summon you towards movement, but also the many ways it does that summoning, the many eras and sonic landscapes it calls to in order to do that work.”
– Author and poet Hanif Abdurraqib on Natural Brown Prom Queen
Sudan Archives has announced her second album Natural Brown Prom Queen, out via Stones Throw on 9th September. Fittingly for a record named for a homecoming event, Natural Brown Prom Queen is all about home – both Sudan’s adopted hometown of L.A. and Cincinnati, where she was raised. The album takes in themes of race, womanhood, and the fiercely loyal, loving relationships at the heart of Sudan’s life with her family, friends, and partner. Over 18 tracks, Sudan gets into character as Britt, the girl next door from Cincinnati who drives around the city with the top down and shows up to high-school prom in a pink furry bikini with her thong hanging out her denim skirt.
From first listen, it’s immediately apparent that Natural Brown Prom Queen is Sudan’s most ambitious work to date, its sounds ranging from the disco-influenced R&B of “Home Maker” (named Best New Track by Pitchfork), to Afrocentric anthem “Selfish Soul” (named a Song You Need by The Fader), hip-hop banger “OMG Britt,” the wild ride of “NBPQ (Topless)” and ballad “Homesick (Gorgeous & Arrogant).” Sudan is unafraid to be vulnerable, tender and open about her insecurities. But the record is also about finding pleasure – after all, this is the artist who played violin upside-down on a pole in a music video. On Natural Brown Prom Queen, Sudan Archives invites you to join in and embrace that shared joy – and the response to advance singles “Home Maker,” “Selfish Soul,” and “NBPQ (Topless)” (including accolades from the New York Times, The Fader, The Guardian, gal-dem, Clash, FLOOD Magazine, Pitchfork, Stereogum, BET, Uproxx, NYLON, and more) demonstrates that people are ready for it.
Sudan is performing at festivals this summer in the US, Canada, the UK, and Europe. Following the album’s release she will embark on the Homecoming Tour, her first headline run since the tour for her 2019 album Athena. Tickets are on sale now – full dates below.
Preorder Natural Brown Prom Queen
Natural Brown Prom Queen track list
1. Home Maker
2. NBPQ (Topless)
3. Is This Real? (Can You Hear Yourself?)
4. Ciara
5. Selfish Soul
6. Loyal (EDD)
7. OMG BRITT
8. ChevyS10
9. Copycat (Broken Notions)
10. It’s Already Done
11. FLUE
12. TDLY (Homegrown Land)
13. Do Your Thing (Refreshing Springs)
14. Freakalizer
15. Homesick (Gorgeous & Arrogant)
16. Milk Me
17. Yellow Brick Road
18. #513
SUDAN ARCHIVES – ON TOUR
North America – Summer Dates
July 8: MONTREAL, QC, Montréal Jazz Festival
July 9-10: WINNIPEG, MB, Winnipeg Folk Festival
July 24: SEATTLE, WA, Capitol Hill Block Party
July 29: DENVER, CO, The Underground Music Showcase
July 30: OMAHA, NE, Maha Festival
UK & Europe – Summer Dates
August 19-21: HAMBURG, DE, MS Dockville Festival
August 23: LEEDS, GB, Belgrave Music Hall
August 25: LONDON, GB, All Points East
August 26: STOCKHOLM, SE, Popaganda Festival
August 26-28: DARMSTADT, DE, Golden Leaves Festival
August 28: EDINBURGH, GB, Connect Festival
August 30: BRIGHTON, GB, Patterns
September 1-4: SALISBURY, GB, End of the Road Festival
September 3: BRISTOL, GB, FORWARDS Festival
Homecoming Tour – North America
September 24: SOLANA BEACH, CA, Belly Up Tavern
September 25: SANTA BARBARA, CA, Soho Music Club
September 26: SACRAMENTO, CA, Harlow’s
September 27: SAN FRANCISCO, CA, The Independent
September 29: PORTLAND, OR, Mississippi Studios
September 30: VANCOUVER, BC, Fortune
October 1: SEATTLE, WA, Neumos
October 4: MINNEAPOLIS, MN, Fine Line
October 5: CHICAGO, IL, Lincoln Hall
October 7: TORONTO, ON, Axis
October 8: OTTAWA, ON, Bronson
October 10: CAMBRIDGE, MA, The Sinclair
October 11: PHILADELPHIA, PA, World Cafe Live
October 12: BROOKLYN, NY, Elsewhere (The Hall)
October 14: WASHINGTON, DC, Black Cat
October 15: PITTSBURGH, PA, Sound Series Block Party
October 17: ASHEVILLE, NC, The Grey Eagle
October 18: ATLANTA, GA, Terminal West
October 19: NASHVILLE, TN, The Basement East
October 21: LOS ANGELES, CA, Lodge Room
Homecoming Tour – Europe & UK
November 4: MILAN, IT, Circolo Magnolia
November 5: ZURICH, CH, Moods
November 6: MUNICH, DE, Ampere
November 8: VIENNA, AT, Grelle Forelle
November 9: PRAGUE, CZ, Futurum Music Bar
November 10: WARSAW, PO, Hybrydy
November 12: COPENHAGEN, DK, Hotel Cecil
November 13: BERLIN, DE, Metropol
November 15: AMSTERDAM, NL, Paradiso Noord
November 17: BRUSSELS, BE, Botanique
November 18: PARIS, FR, Pitchfork Music Festival
November 21: DUBLIN, IE, Whelan’s
November 24: MANCHESTER, GB, Band on the Wall
November 25: BARCELONA, ES, La 2 de Apolo
