After releasing her critically acclaimed sophomore album When I Close My Eyes last fall and (unintentionally) shaking up the internet and music industry earlier this month, Platinum-Certified singer, songwriter, and producer Chelsea Cutler has returned today with her new single “the lifeboat’s empty!” out now alongside the official video. The new song will be featured on her upcoming deluxe version of When I Close My Eyes, set to be released later this spring.
On the inspiration behind the new song, Chelsea says, “I’m so excited to continue the When I Close My Eyes era with the deluxe album and start it off with one of my favorite songs I’ve ever made – ‘the lifeboat’s empty!’. I had a lot of fun making this one and think it’s going to absolutely go off on tour.”
Feeling frustrated with the current state of the music industry, earlier this month, Chelsea took to Instagram and spontaneously posted an open and honest note about the present challenges within the industry and on social media and how they affect her artistry and mental health. The post quickly caught fire online and resonated with artists across all genres, like Niall Horan, Maren Morris, Martin Garrix, Zedd, Ryan Tedder, Lauv, James Bay, Julia Michaels, Maggie Rogers, Becky G, Madison Beer, Tate McRae, and many more, who liked, commented, and shared the note in support. Not only did the post hit a nerve within the artist community, but it also started a larger conversation with music industry executives and fans, leading to pieces from Variety, The Washington Post, and more. You can read Chelsea’s post HERE.
In addition to releasing new music this spring, Chelsea will embark on her “When I Close My Eyes Tour.” Kicking off in Austin at Stubb’s Outdoors on March 9th, the tour will make stops in Boston, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Portland, and more—see the full list of dates below. Following her headline run, Chelsea will make her debut at Coachella in April and return to the The Governors Ball stage in June.
When I Close My Eyes was written, recorded, and produced by Chelsea with several artists and collaborators. The album has received widespread praise from the likes of NPR’s Weekend Edition, Variety, MTV News, Entertainment Tonight, COMPLEX, UPROXX, Consequence, HYPEBAE, Ones To Watch, and many more. Not to mention, Chelsea performed her song “Devil On My Shoulder” from the album on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and was included on Forbes 30 Under 30 list last month.