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GENESIS OWUSU
announces sophomore album
STRUGGLER

PRE-SAVE / PRE-ORDER HERE

OUT AUGUST 18 VIA OURNESS / AWAL

+ Shares new single + video
“LEAVING THE LIGHT”

WATCH HERE

BUY/STREAM HERE

+ Announces forthcoming
World Tour
hitting Australian stages
this December

GENESIS OWUSU AUSTRALIAN ALBUM TOUR
IS PRESENTED BY OURNESS, ASTRAL PEOPLE & HANDSOME TOUR
+ SUPPORTED BY TRIPLE J

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

EARTHGANG

MORE INFO HERE

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“THE STRUGGLER RUNS THROUGH AN ABSURD WORLD WITH NO ‘WHERE’ OR
‘WHY’ AT HAND. JUST AN INSTINCTUAL INNER RHYTHM, YELLING AT THEM TO
SURVIVE THE PESTILENCE AND LIGHTING BOLTS COMING FROM ABOVE. A
ROACH JUST KEEPS ROACHING.” – Genesis Owusu

Multi-ARIA award-winning Ghanaian-Australian artist, Kofi Owusu-Ansah aka Genesis Owusu today announces his highly anticipated sophomore album, STRUGGLER – due for release on August 18 via OURNESS / AWAL. Additionally, he announces a global world tour and shares his newest single, “Leaving The Light”, out now.

After launching onto the global map with his critically acclaimed debut album, Smiling with No Teeth, Owusu next steps forth with STRUGGLER; an imminent exploration of the chaos and absurdity of life, and our ability to endure. Where Smiling with No Teeth uncovered the battle against depression and racism, STRUGGLER is about how to get through its struggle. The album takes inspiration from a close friend hitting the brink and coming through the other side, in conjunction with prompted questions of life and beauty that Owusu found himself contemplating during readings of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Recorded between the US and Australia, the album’s producers traverse musical genres; from Jason Evigan (RUFUS DU SOL, SZA), to Mikey Freedom Hart (Jon Batiste’s 2021 GRAMMY of the Year Album, We Are), Sol Was (Beyoncé’s Renaissance), and original producers, Andrew Klippel and Dave Hammer.

Additionally, Owusu collaborates with globally-celebrated Aotearoa (New Zealand) visual artist, Lisa Reihana, on the album’s complete visual identity. Having been showcased in elite institutions throughout the US and EU, including the Venice Biennale for her critically-acclaimed video installation, In Pursuit of Venus [Infected], Reihana’s work spans a diverse range of mediums. From film, to costume and body adornment, plus video installation, Reihana has rightfully earned a reputation as a world-renowned artist and producer, engaging in thought-provoking dialogues around the concept of culture.

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Today, while Owusu tours the US in support of Paramore and Bloc Party, including dates at Madison Square Garden after recently wrapping Groovin the Moo festival, his newest chapter unfolds with the album’s leading single “Leaving The Light”. A fervent anthem about survival and perseverance, “Leaving The Light”, sets an urgent tone for the new album. Opening to a spine-crawling run of bass notes, the immediacy hits through Owusu’s feverish verses and echoed shouts. A jolting mix of poetic punk and melodic catharsis, Owusu explores form and rhythm across the new single.

To celebrate the album’s release, Genesis Owusu will be rounding out 2023 with a huge run of headline shows, presented by OURNESS, Astral People and Handsome Tours plus supported by triple j. On December 1, Owusu will take to the Ice Cream Factory in Perth, before heading to Melbourne’s Festival Hall on December 8. The following night, Owusu will perform at the UC Refectory in Canberra, followed by a final set of performances at the Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane on December 14, Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on December 15, and the closing performance December 16 at Adelaide’s Hindley Street Music Hall. Joining Owusu for each show (excluding Perth) will be very special guests, EARTHGANG. Hailing from Atlanta, the acclaimed hip hop duo have been taking the world by storm over the past 12 months; earning GRAMMY nominations of Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Album for their work on Dreamville and J.Cole’s Revenge Of The Dreamers III, and most recently performing their electrifying live show at Coachella. Coupled with Owusu, the shows are set to be an unmissable, high-energy end to what’s been an already incredible year for both artists.

As the world welcomes to its stage the brightly burning star of Genesis Owusu, the limelight continues to hold following the release of his debut album, Smiling with No Teeth in March 2021. Owusu completed a sold-out 22-date tour in 2021 alongside his Goon Club, before another sold-out national theatre tour with The Black Dog Band (his recording band) in 2022 – now immortalised via triple j’s Live At The Wireless. Next, Owusu jetted to the United States for his first ever international tour, performing 16 shows with his Goons. Owusu also made his U.S. late night television debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. A 13-date European tour followed with sold-out stops in London, Dublin, Amsterdam and Berlin’s Berghain, as well as a performance at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound. After his wildly talked-about Splendour in the Grass performance in July, Owusu returned to North America for performances at Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, Osheaga Festival in Montreal, This Ain’t No Picnic Festival in California and Austin City Limits. He also supported Khuranghbin in Austin alongside Thundercat, and joined Glass Animals for a string of shows hitting Nashville, Toronto and Cincinnati. Genesis Owusu closed out 2022 supporting Tame Impala and further festival appearances at Spilt Milk, Lost Paradise and Falls Festival. He resumed in 2023 with a two-city performance series, Red Bull Symphonic, which saw him perform to a sold out Sydney Opera House.

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Photo – Bec Parsons

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Now one of the country’s most-celebrated new albums, Smiling with No Teeth demonstrated the beginning of Owusu’s profound artistic revolution and soul-bearing expression. The album secured triple j’s Album of the Year and x4 ARIA award titles, including Album of the Year, Best Hip Hop Release, Best Independent Release and Best Cover Art, alongside radio support from triple j and BBC Radio, and global acclaim from tastemakers and critics alike, including The Needle Drop, NME, Line of Best Fit, The Guardian, Teen Vogue, Rolling Stone, The Australian, ICON and many more. Owusu additionally saw his album track, “Gold Chains” included in President Obama’s Favourite Music of 2021. Following a string of standalone singles in “GTFO” and “Get Inspired” Owusu received further ARIA Award nominations for Best Music Video and Best Independent Release, on top of a further nomination for Best Australian Live Act for Owusu and The Black Dog Band. Furthermore, the singles also saw Owusu land in the 2023 triple j Hottest 100 countdown a record two times, placing #87 and #17 respectively.

Today, the dawn of a new era for Genesis Owusu begins, with the new release of “Leaving The Light” ahead of an impending world tour and the arrival of STRUGGLER in August.

“LEAVING THE LIGHT” IS OUT NOW VIA OURNESS / AWAL 
WATCH HERE
BUY/STREAM HERE

STRUGGLER IS OUT AUGUST 18 VIA OURNESS / AWAL
PRE-SAVE / PRE-ORDER HERE

TOUR INFO BELOW

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STRUGGLER
Australian Tour Dates

Presented by OURNESS, triple j, Astral People & Handsome Tours

Supported by triple j

with Special Guests EARTHGANG*

Friday, 1 December 2023 – Ice Cream Factory, Perth WA
Friday, 8 December 2023 – Festival Hall, Melbourne VIC
Saturday, 9 December 2023 – UC Refectory, Canberra ACT
Thursday, 14 December 2023 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane QLD
Friday,Fri 15 December 2023 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney NSW
Saturday, 16 December 2023 – Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide SA

Pre-sales open 10am AEST Thursday, May 18

General on-sale opens 10am AEST Friday, May 19

For all ticket information, visit: HERE

*excluding Perth show

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STRUGGLER
Album Tracklist

1. Leaving The Light
2. The Roach
3. The Old Man
4. See Ya There
5. Freak Boy
6. Tied Up!
7. That’s Life (A Swamp)
8. Balthazar
9. Stay Blessed
10. What Comes Will Come
11. Stuck To The Fan

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Follow GENESIS OWUSU
WEBSITE – FACEBOOK – INSTAGRAM – TIKTOK

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AMNPLIFY – DB