Cruel World (album)
| Cruel World | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 10 April 2026 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Producer |
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| Holly Humberstone chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Cruel World | ||||
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Cruel World is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone. It is set to be released on 10 April 2026 through Polydor Records and follows the release of her debut album, Paint My Bedroom Black (2023). Cruel World has been preceded by the release of three singles: "Die Happy", "To Love Somebody" and titular track "Cruel World".
Background
Following various project releases including Falling Asleep at the Wheel (2020) and The Walls Are Way Too Thin (2021), Humberstone won the Brit Award for Rising Star in 2022.[1] She released her debut album, Paint My Bedroom Black, in 2023, as well as supporting Olivia Rodrigo on the Sour Tour.[2] In 2024, she released the EP Work in Progress. It was composed of songs not included on Paint My Bedroom Black as opposed to releasing a typical deluxe edition. 2024 also saw her supporting Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium.[3]
In mid-2025, Humberstone returned to musical releases with a contribution to the soundtrack for The Buccaneers, the song "Miss You to Death".[4] Months later, she confirmed that a "new world" was beginning, hinting towards the start of a new album cycle.[5] Humberstone stated that she wrote the album with a "new discipline", attending daily studio sessions with long-term collaborator Rob Milton.[6]
Promotion and release
"Die Happy" was released in November 2025 as the lead single from Cruel World. A visualiser was released alongside it, directed by Silken Weinberg.[7] A headline tour throughout the UK and Europe was also announced,[8] as well as confirmation that Humberstone would support Sam Fender on the Australian leg of his tour; the two previously collaborated in 2021 on a remix of Fender's song "Seventeen Going Under".[9] "To Love Somebody" served as the second single and was released on 23 January 2026. It was again released alongside a visualiser directed by Weinberg, inspired by Victorian theater, the Brothers Grimm and Nosferatu.[10] On the day of its release, she performed "To Love Somebody" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[11] That same day, she announced Cruel World's release date as 10 April 2026.[12] A North American tour was later announced in promotion of the album.[13] The third single from the album was "Cruel World"; the titular track.[14] It was released on 13 March 2026.[15]
Composition and lyrics
Paint My Bedroom Black, Humberstone's debut album, dealt with themes of turbulence, anxiety and displacement. Cruel World features a shift in theme as it dissects the feeling of belonging, steadiness, repair and discipline.[16] Humberstone had spent years living out of suitcases and staying in hotel rooms, but during the process of making Cruel World, she found a permanent living situation. She felt she had rebuilt "both her physical space and her emotional center" and that music had become her anchor.[16] She also felt completely in control of the record and felt that she could look back on the album in years to come and still feel proud of it.[16] When asked if Cruel World had a scent, Humberstone said: "it would be unisex, not too feminine. It would have a dusky rose, tobacco, because I like my ciggies, and dusty old library books".[17]
"To Love Somebody", the third song from the album, is a "confessional and boldly vulnerable pop track".[18] It explores holding onto the silver lining of a doomed relationship. Co-written with Rob Milton and Jon Green, Humberstone wanted to capture the contradiction of love involving hurting and losing someone, but "at least you got to love somebody".[10] They wrote it after Humberstone was inspired by a friend's "brutal breakup" that she witnessed.[12] The fourth and titular track, "Cruel World", dissects a long-distance relationship and Humberstone's distorted perception of the world since her partner is not nearby.[19]
The fifth track on Cruel World, "Die Happy", is a "gothic love song".[20] The track was inspired by The Bloody Chamber and Dracula and Humberstone wanted to convey the danger of love, especially the "feeling of throwing yourself into love fully and recklessly".[20] In an interview with InStyle, Humberstone spoke about a song titled "Beauty Pageant", which she billed her most vulnerable song to date. The lyrics explore her attitude towards women following growing up with three sisters, going to an all-girls school, then going straight into the music industry. She had realised she had toxic thought patterns of viewing other women as competition; she wrote "Beauty Pageant" about the "unrealistic expectations girls hold [themselves] to and trying to navigate this world that isn't built for [them]—pressures of being pretty, appearing busy and hard working, getting all of [their] validation from social media".[17] She found the lyrics embarrassing to admit, but hoped people would relate to the "human element".[17]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3. | "To Love Somebody" |
| Rob Milton | 3:57 |
| 4. | "Cruel World" |
| Milton | 3:26 |
| 5. | "Die Happy" |
|
| 3:49 |
References
- ^ Savage, Mark (9 December 2021). "Brit Awards: Holly Humberstone wins the rising star prize". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ Havens, Lyndsey (23 August 2023). "Holly Humberstone Embraces Uncertainty On Her Surefire Debut". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ Madden, Richard (6 August 2024). "Holly Humberstone: Swift gig a hard secret to keep". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ Jackson, Jada (22 June 2025). "Holly Humberstone – Miss You To Death". Euphoria. Archived from the original on 2 July 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ Carter, Daisy (10 November 2025). "Holly Humberstone returns with darkly romantic new single 'Die Happy'". DIY. Archived from the original on 27 January 2026. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ Pimblett, Rachael (23 January 2026). "Holly Humberstone announces new album with single 'To Love Somebody'". Far Out. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ Murray, Robin (6 November 2025). "Holly Humberstone Shares New Song 'Die Happy'". Clash. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ "Holly Humberstone announces new album 'Cruel World'". The Indie Scene. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ "Sam Fender invites Holly Humberstone to rework 'Seventeen Going Under'". Mystic Sons. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ a b Carter, Daisy (26 January 2026). "Holly Humberstone kicks off 'Cruel World' era with new single 'To Love Somebody'". DIY. Archived from the original on 27 January 2026. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ Barnes, Kelsey (29 January 2026). "See Holly Humberstone play "To Love Somebody" on The Tonight Show". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on 31 January 2026. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ a b Okechukwu, Nmesoma (27 January 2026). "Holly Humberstone – To Love Somebody". Euphoria. Archived from the original on 27 January 2026. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ Zwick, Hannah (13 February 2026). "Holly Humberstone Announces Cruel World North American Tour". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ "New Music Drops: March 13, 2026". Shatter the Standards. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
- ^ "Holly Humberstone, Sienna Spiro and Kenya Grace lead our Hot New Songs playlist". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
- ^ a b c ""You're Only Human, Honey": Holly Humberstone Embraces Love's Highest Highs & Hardest Truths on "To Love Somebody," a Glistening, Gut-Punch Anthem". Atwood. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ a b c "Holly Humberstone Is Poised for the Pop Throne". InStyle. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ Pilley, Max (23 January 2026). "Holly Humberstone announces new album 'Cruel World' with confessional single 'To Love Somebody': "In order to feel extreme happiness, you have to know extreme sadness"". NME. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ "Holly Humberstone has shared 'Cruel World', a song about the pain of long-distance love". Dork. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ a b Rigotti, Alex (6 November 2025). "Holly Humberstone shares Dracula-inspired new single 'Die Happy': "There is danger in love"". NME. Retrieved 3 February 2026.