Teyana Taylor has returned with her fourth album, Escape Room, via Def Jam Recordings.
The cinematic project features an all-star cast of narrators, including Taraji P. Henson, Sarah Paulson, La La, Niecey Nash, Tash Smith, Jodie Turner-Smith, Issa Rae, Kerry Washington, and Regina King. There are also collaborations with Jill Scott, Tyla, Lucky Daye and Kaytranada.
Henson sets the scene for the 22-track epic experience, with narration about a love that has gone up in flames. “Fire consuming the walls that we built together until one day, I stood in the ashes —alone,” she intones with melodramatic tension. On the subsequent “Fire Girl,” Taylor is ignited by a heat of passion, where she oscillates between rage (“Revenge has been my get back lately”) and resilience (“But you can never burn my soul, n—–a”).
As the story progresses, Taylor grapples with the aftermath of love lost. She contemplates not bowing out soon enough (“Long Time”) while confronting the painful clarity of closure (“Hard Part” featuring Lucky Daye).
On “Back to Life,” Taylor still can’t seem to shake off the gut-wrenching feeling of having her heart betrayed: “You said that you would love me ’til you die / But I guess love must be a lie.” Tasha Smith appears at the end of the track, setting up the next act in the story: “My great grandmama told me, the way you get over one n—a is to get another one.”
Songs like the slow-burning “Shut Up” and candy-coated “Pum Pum Jump,” featuring Jill Scott and Tyla, find Taylor on the prowl, embracing her sensuality. “You make my pum-pum jump,” she sings in the latter track.
The romance returns in “Bed of Roses” and “In Your Skin,” where she luxuriates in intimacy with a new love.
Taylor closes the door of Escape Room with “Always,” a beautiful acoustic ballad that features a cameo from her daughters, Junie and Rue.
Escape Room is accompanied by a short film of the same name, available to watch on Prime Video. Not only does Taylor co-star in the noir romance thriller, but she also wrote, directed, and produced it under her production company, The Aunties.
Speaking on her new project, Taylor explains, “Escape Room isn’t just a film or an album, it’s a world I built to live in, bleed in, and heal in. I poured my heart into every layer, from the story to the sound, to capture that journey we all take through the shadows of heartbreak, whether that’s love lost, friendships broken, dreams deferred and guide you toward the lightness of healing.”
She continues, “It’s the visual representation of my scars, the picture of my healing, and a mirror for anyone ready to face their own truth. This is more than a story… it’s a place to break free.”
Escape Room arrives five years after Taylor deemed 2020’s The Album as her final project. The Album included collaborations with Erykah Badu, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Future, Kehlani, Davido and more.
Stream Teyana Taylor’s new album Escape Roomand watch the short film on Prime Video.