When I first pressed play on Superbloom, the new album from Jessie Ware, I didn’t expect it to turn my routine walk into something cinematic. But somewhere between “Sauna” and “Mr. Valentine,” that’s exactly what happened. My pace shifted. My shoulders loosened. Suddenly, I wasn’t just walking, I was in a scene.
When I told Ware this, she didn’t miss a beat.
“You were in your own movie,” she said, laughing.
That feeling, of being dropped into a fully realized world, is at the heart of Superbloom, out now via Interscope Records. But while the record leans into groove and movement, it’s also Ware’s most grounded project yet.
From the Dance Floor to Real Life
Ware admitted the album didn’t start out this way.
“I thought I was making a totally different record,” she told me. “I thought I was kind of picking up where ‘Free Yourself’ left off… high tempo, high octane.”
That version exists somewhere. But it didn’t feel right.
“It just wasn’t true,” she said.
Instead, she pivoted, pulling from soul influences and her own life. The result is a record that balances escapism with intimacy. It’s still a dance album, but one rooted in connection.
“I think I actually welcomed them into my home,” Ware explained, describing how the project evolved. “And also like an imaginary dance floor that’s kind of in heavens.”
That duality defines Superbloom. It’s playful, but reflective. It invites you to move, then asks you to feel something deeper.
The Emotional Core of ‘16 Summers’
That balance comes into focus on “16 Summers,” one of the album’s most personal tracks.
Ware shared that the song began from a place of parental anxiety, thinking about time, guilt, and how much of it we get with the people we love. But as she continued writing, loss reshaped its meaning.
“We lost a friend of ours in the summer,” she said. “So by the time I went to record that song, it had a very different meaning.”
What started as something inward-facing became something broader.
“It became a song about loss and love and time,” she said. “A song that anybody could listen to.”
It also anchors the record emotionally.
“I needed to make sure that whilst I’m having so much fun… there’s real life happening,” she added.
“I Couldn’t Have Made These Records Without My Queer Fanbase”
Even with its introspective moments, Superbloom is still built for shared experiences, especially with the audience that has championed Ware for years.
When I asked about her queer fans, her answer came quickly and without hesitation.
“I couldn’t have made these kind of records without my queer fanbase,” she said. “Really being my cheerleaders, making me feel that I can be so confident and sing for them and be exactly who I am.”
For Ware, that connection is mutual.
“I may give you some music,” she continued, “but you give me so much. I am so lucky to be allowed into your beautiful community.”
It’s a relationship that’s long been reflected in her music, rooted in disco’s legacy and the freedom of the dance floor. With Superbloom, that bond feels even more intentional.
“I hope they have fun with it,” she said. “I hope we get those moments… those precious, fabulous moments together.”
Finding Confidence, and Pushing Further
That sense of confidence extends into her vocals, too. Ware pushed herself more than ever on this record, crediting both collaborators and unexpected inspiration.
At one point, she found herself influenced by performances from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
“I was like, God, she’s good,” Ware said of Erivo. “I need to work harder… I need to try to pretend I’m Cynthia Erivo for a second.”
That mindset shows up in tracks like “Don’t You Know Who I Am?”, a bold, theatrical moment co-written with Jake Shears.
“I went, ‘Oh my God, that’s so obnoxious and deluded and amazing,’” she said of the song’s central line. “And instead of me poo-pooing it… I was like, okay, let’s go.”
Enter the ‘Superbloom’ Era
If Ware’s last era was about discovery, this one is about ownership. She’s no longer hiding behind the music, she’s expanding within it.
“I used to wear suits and tailoring as armor,” she told me. “Now fashion and costume is like an extension of my music.”
That evolution will carry into her upcoming tour, which includes a stop at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and a major hometown show at London’s O2 Arena.
Expect theatrics. Expect characters. And, if Ware has her way, expect fans to show up in full fantasy.
“I envisage… fringed cowboy hats, pearls,” she said. “I kind of wanted everyone to come in like togas.”
It’s all part of the world she’s building, one where the line between audience and performer blurs.
And if Superbloom proves anything, it’s that stepping into that world doesn’t take much.
Sometimes, it just starts with pressing play, and realizing you’re already in the scene.
‘Superbloom’ Tour Dates
- Tue 10/06/26 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY Toronto
- Thu 10/08/26 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
- Sat 10/10/26 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
- Sun 10/11/26 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
- Tue 10/13/26 – Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom
- Fri 10/16/26 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
- Tue 10/20/26 – Los Angeles, CA – The Greek Theatre
- Thu 10/22/26 – Mexico City, MX – Teatro Metropolitan
- Tue 11/10/26 – Paris, FR – Casino de Paris
- Thu 11/12/26 – Prague, CZ – SaSaZu
- Fri 11/13/26 – Gdansk, PL – Inside Seaside Festival
- Sat 11/14/26 – Vilnius, LT – Compensa Concert Hall
- Mon 11/16/26 – Berlin, DE – Huxleys Neue Welt
- Wed 11/18/26 – Copenhagen, DK – K.B Hallen
- Fri 11/20/26 – Brussels, BE – Ancienne Belgique
- Sat 11/21/26 – Amsterdam, NL – AFAS Live
- Sat 11/28/26 – London, UK – The O2
- Tue 12/01/26 – Dublin, IE – 3Olympia Theatre
- Fri 12/04/26 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
- Sat 12/05/26 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
