South London singer, songwriter and cultural powerhouse Joy Crookes has unveiled that her second album Juniper will be released on September 26th ahead of a headline tour…
A stunningly candid and fearless body of work, the album reaffirms Joy as one of the UK’s most vital and original voices. A once-in-a-generation talent, Crookes delivers a record that is both emotionally raw and sonically rich; humorous, heartbreaking and profoundly human.
Ahead of her performance this weekend at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend event in Liverpool, followed by a slot at Glastonbury, Joy is pleased to announce a full UK & EU headline tour for the backend of the year. In celebration of Juniper’s release, Joy will head out to all major cities including Dublin, Manchester, Bristol and London where she’ll play the much coveted O2 Academy Brixton for the first time.
Following the success of her 2021 debut Skin, which earned BRIT and Mercury Prize nominations, went Top 5 in the UK charts, and drew acclaim from The Guardian, NME and many more, Joy set out to make an album that pushed her further both musically and personally. Juniper is the result: a project defined by its depth and dynamism.
Written with a stripped-back approach and produced by long-time collaborators including Blue May (Kano, Jorja Smith), Tev’n (Stormzy) and Harvey Grant (Arlo Parks), Juniper features standout guest appearances from Vince Staples on the incendiary ‘Pass The Salt’ and Kano on the bittersweet confessional ‘Mathematics’. Crookes describes the record as “more nuanced” than Skin: “With Juniper, every situation is visceral and I’m very much in it. It’s me in the centre of it all.” The title itself nods to resilience (an evergreen that thrives in harsh conditions) and the album dives deep into themes of body politics, mental health, queer love, anxiety, industry hypocrisy and the ecstasy (and terror) of falling in love.
Lead singles like ‘Pass The Salt’ and ‘I Know You’d Kill’ showcase Crookes’ lyrical agility – blending poetic detail with razor-sharp wit. Meanwhile, the euro-pop inspired ‘First Last Dance’ channels euphoric melodies to mask deep emotional struggle, and the cinematic ‘Perfect Crime’ sees Joy fully self-actualise in the style of a Western showdown. On ‘Paris’, the closing track, Joy reflects on a formative queer relationship: “Something I feared so much finally, actually felt like love.” It’s a sentiment echoed across Juniper – a record that captures the beauty and brutality of emotional openness.
The album arrives after a period of personal upheaval for Crookes, including a mental health crisis that shadowed the album’s creation. “I was in the trenches,” she says. “But the studio became my solace. What you hear is live and direct from that time.” Despite the darkness, Juniper radiates warmth, levity, and life, powered by Crookes’ ever-restless creativity and artistic excellence.
UK Tour Dates
Monday, November 10, 2025, Glasgow, O2 Academy Glasgow
Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Leeds, O2 Academy Leeds
Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Manchester, Manchester Academy
Friday, November 14, 2025, Birmingham, O2 Academy Birmingham
Saturday, November 15, 2025, Bournemouth, O2 Academy Bournemouth
Sunday, November 16, 2025, Bristol, O2 Academy Bristol
Tuesday, November 18, 2025, London, O2 Academy Brixton
The tour also takes in Ireland on Monday, November 3, 2025 at the Olympia, Dublin
Tickets go on general sale Friday 30th May at 10am via LiveNation.co.uk
