Mavis Staples Announces New Album 'Sad And Beautiful World'
Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Written by Jon Stickler
Photo: Elizabeth De La Piedra
Mavis Staples has announced her 14th solo studio album.
'Sad And Beautiful World' will arrive on November 7 and covers 70 years of American music, a period close to the Chicago soul and gospel legend's own career.
Produced by Brad Cook, whose credits include Bon Iver, Waxahatchee and Nathanial Rateliff, it mixes fresh takes on classic songs with new material, and includes contributions from artists who've become part of Staples' musical circle, including Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Tweedy, MJ Lenderman, and Justin Vernon.
To coincide with the announcement, the multi-Grammy Award winner has shared a spacious reimagining of Kevin Morby's Beautiful Strangers, which unfurls over gentle piano and percussion, with the spotlight on her vocals. Morby said:
"It isn’t easy to put into words what it feels like having one of the best, most important vocalists and cultural figures of both the 20th and 21st century sing one of my songs. But hearing Mavis sing Beautiful Strangers is hands down the greatest moment and highest honor of my career. Far beyond any kind of accolade or acclaim — having one of my biggest heroes sing something I wrote is the most validating and flattering thing that could ever happen to me as a songwriter and person. Thank you, Mavis.
"Mavis also wields that extremely rare power to take a song somebody else wrote and make it entirely her own. As the person who penned Beautiful Strangers, I feel I have every right to say: her version is better."
The album will also include Staples' cover of Frank Ocean's Godspeed featuring spoken word vocals from Kara Jackson, which was released in June.
In 2022, Staples released 'Carry Me Home', an album with the late Levon Helm of The Band. She put out her last solo album, 'We Get By', in 2019.
She has a number of US shows in the diary for the coming months and in early 2026. Tickets are on sale now.
'Sad And Beautiful World' tracklist:
1. Chicago
2. Beautiful Strangers
3. Sad And Beautiful World
4. Human Mind
5. Hard Times
6. Godspeed
7. We Got To Have Peace
8. Anthem
9. Satisfied Mind
10. Everybody Needs Love
Mavis Staples Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Sat September 06 2025 - LONE TREE - Lone Tree Arts Center (USA)
Thu September 11 2025 - SOLANA BEACH California - Belly Up Tavern (USA)
Sat September 13 2025 - NAPA California - Blue Note Summer Sessions at Meritage Resort (USA)
Wed October 01 2025 - STOUGHTON Wisconsin - Opera House (USA)
Thu October 02 2025 - STOUGHTON Wisconsin - Stoughton Opera House (USA)
Thu October 09 2025 - TUCSON Arizona - Fox Tucson Theatre (USA)
Sat October 11 2025 - PRESCOTT - Jim and Linda Lee Performing Arts Center (USA)
Sun October 12 2025 - CHANDLER Arizona - Chandler Center for the Arts (USA)
Thu November 06 2025 - RIDGEFIELD Connecticut - Ridgefield Playhouse (USA)
Fri November 21 2025 - SAN ANTONIO Texas - Jo Long Theatre (USA)
Sat January 10 2026 - CHICAGO Illinois - Chicago Theatre (USA)
Sat January 24 2026 - NASHVILLE Tennessee - Ryman Auditorium (USA)
Sat February 28 2026 - NEW YORK New York - Beacon Theatre (USA)
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