Listen to Mykki Blanco’s powerful new song ‘Steps’

Mykki Blanco has today (August 10) shared a new song, ‘Steps’ – check it out below.

• READ MORE: Mykki Blanco – ‘Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep’ review: a bold and brilliant step forward

The song features MNEK and Saul Williams and is taken from Blanco’s upcoming new album, ‘Stay Close To Music’, which arrives on October 14 via Transgressive records.

Speaking of their new single, Blanco explained, “I think a song like ‘Steps’ is a testament to what can happen when three very unique artists are given time to create a meditation together – to respond to one another when the moment is right –  almost like the lines of a haiku – maybe ‘Steps’ is a prayer unique in its ability to transcend and transform and provide peace without necessarily providing an answer.”

Mykki continued: “In many ways ‘Steps’ symbolises a pointed progression in my songwriting. I think as a songwriter, I was not always willing to be so vulnerable. I finally feel I have lived enough, lived long enough and lived through enough to speak simply, plainly and find in the zen-like simplicity something honest and true and pure. ‘Steps’ is written as a diary entry to myself. It is naked in its delivery and it functions much more as a poem than a pop song.”

“There are certain people I have waited to collaborate with my entire career and Saul Williams is one of those people,” Blanco said. “In many ways, there is a musical lineage that Saul is a part of, that he himself spearheaded, that I feel a very close connection with.

“I remember sitting in his beautiful home in Laurel Canyon California having lunch with him and his wife and thinking about how blessed their place felt, so much history on that land. I kept thinking about how the music of David Crosby was such a huge inspiration for so much of my own songwriting and sonic sensibilities on ‘Stay Close To Music’ and here I was with someone I looked up to having a wonderful conversation, learning about everything Saul had going on, his new film, his first time working as a director, concerts he was doing with the LA philharmonic, just a creative polymath and he was so charming, and excited and at peace.”

The rapper added: “MNEK is a musical powerhouse, composing some of the best dance music of the last decade not only for himself but a slew of other pop stars. The voice, the talent, the songwriting, MNEK is truly a force to be reckoned with and is such a stand out artist I was truly nervous when I reached out to him to collaborate.

“We met in his home in London. I think this was key to understanding if there was a vibe, if we felt the energy between us could coalesce in a natural way. So much of what has made ‘Stay Close To Music’ so important is the time involved, the time that was natural and not forced and allowed for such peace and such organic collaborations. It is so rare that artists are allowed this time, it is so rare that artists are given this much space.”

Blanco announced their upcoming album with ‘Stay Close To The Music’ with ‘French Lessons. Priot to that, they shared two additional songs from the LP – ‘Your Love Was a Gift’ featuring Diana Gordon and ‘Family Ties’ which featured Michael Stipe.

This is their first new project since mini-album ‘Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep’.

In a four-star review of the album, NME wrote: “Some of Blanco’s rhymes could be tighter but this ferocious performer commands attention whether they’re chastising a partner for drinking their soya milk on ‘Fuck Your Choices’ or baring their soul on ‘Love Me’. The result: a bold and brilliant step forward.”