JOY CROOKES RELEASES NEW SINGLE‘PERFECT CRIME’

South London singer, songwriter and cultural powerhouse Joy Crookes has today shared ‘Perfect Crime’, the latest taste of her highly anticipated second album Juniper, which is due to be released on September 26th ahead of a full UK & EU headline tour. A second night at London’s Brixton Academy has been announced after the first sold out due to fan demand. Artist Pre-Sale begins on Tuesday 24th 12pm & tickets will go on General sale next Wednesday 25th at 10am. Sign up here: https://joycrookes.lnk.to/junipertourWP

Co-produced by Joy alongside Harvey Grant, ‘Perfect Crime’ sees Joy self-actualise her own power through the metaphor of a Western movie as she explains: “Perfect Crime is written about that scary bit of time just before you go back into the dating world and you need to just bite the bullet and dive into something. It’s kind of like my version of a mantra or doing positive affirmations in the mirror…this song is basically me giving myself a pep talk.”

Following the success of her 2021 debut Skin, which earned BRIT and Mercury Prize nominations, went Top 5 in the UK charts, and drew acclaim from The Guardian, NME and many more, Joy set out to make an album that pushed her further both musically and personally. Juniper is the result: a project defined by its depth and dynamism. A stunningly candid and fearless body of work, the album reaffirms Joy as one of the UK’s most vital and original voices. A once-in-a-generation talent, Crookes delivers a record that is both emotionally raw and sonically rich; humorous, heartbreaking and profoundly human.

Written with a stripped-back approach and produced by long-time collaborators including Blue May (Kano, Jorja Smith), Tev’n (Stormzy) and Harvey Grant (Arlo Parks), Juniper features standout guest appearances from Vince Staples on the incendiary ‘Pass The Salt’ and Kano on the bittersweet confessional ‘Mathematics’. Crookes describes the record as “more nuanced” than Skin: “With Juniper, every situation is visceral and I’m very much in it. It’s me in the centre of it all.”  The title itself nods to resilience (an evergreen that thrives in harsh conditions) and the album dives deep into themes of body politics, mental health, queer love, anxiety, industry hypocrisy and the ecstasy (and terror) of falling in love.

Lead singles like ‘Pass The Salt’ and ‘I Know You’d Kill’ showcase Crookes’ lyrical agility – blending poetic detail with razor-sharp wit. Meanwhile, the euro-pop inspired ‘First Last Dance’ channels euphoric melodies to mask deep emotional struggle, and the cinematic ‘Perfect Crime’ sees Joy fully self-actualise in the style of a Western showdown. On ‘Paris’, the closing track, Joy reflects on a formative queer relationship: “Something I feared so much finally, actually felt like love.” It’s a sentiment echoed across Juniper – a record that captures the beauty and brutality of emotional openness.

The album arrives after a period of personal upheaval for Crookes, including a mental health crisis that shadowed the album’s creation. “I was in the trenches,” she says. “But the studio became my solace. What you hear is live and direct from that time.” Despite the darkness, Juniper radiates warmth, levity, and life, powered by Crookes’ ever-restless creativity and artistic excellence. 

Joy returned to the live stage for BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend event in Liverpool last month, and will play Glastonbury next week in advance of a full UK & EU headline tour for the backend of the year. In celebration of Juniper’s release, Joy will head out to all major cities including Dublin, Manchester, Bristol and London where she’ll play the much coveted O2 Academy Brixton for the first time. See below for full routing and ticket info.

 

Tracklist:

1. Brave 

2. Pass the Salt feat. Vince Staples 

3. Carmen 

4. Perfect Crime 

5. Mathematics feat. Kano 

6. House With A Pool 

7. I Know You’d Kill 

8. First Last Dance

9. Mother

10. Somebody To You

11. Forever 

12. Paris

Tour Dates:

UK & Ireland

Monday, November 03, 2025, Dublin, Ireland, Olympia

Monday, November 10, 2025, Glasgow, UK, O2 Academy

Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Leeds, UK, O2 Academy

Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Manchester, UK, Academy

Friday, November 14, 2025, Birmingham, UK, O2 Academy

Saturday, November 15, 2025, Bournemouth, UK, O2 Academy

Sunday, November 16, 2025, Bristol, UK, O2 Academy

Tuesday, November 18, 2025, London, UK, O2 Academy Brixton *SOLD OUT*

Wednesday, November 19, 2025, London, UK, O2 Academy Brixton 

Europe

Monday, November 24, 2025, Brussels, Belgium, Ancienne Belgique

Tuesday, November 25, 2025, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Melkweg

Wednesday, November 26, 2025, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Melkweg

Friday, November 28, 2025, Hamburg, Germany, Docks

Saturday, November 29, 2025, Cologne, Germany, Live Music Hall

Monday, December 01, 2025, Zurich, Switzerland, X-tra

Tuesday, December 02, 2025, Paris, France, Salle Pleyel

Thursday, December 04, 2025, Berlin, Germany, Tempodrom

Sunday, December 07, 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark, Vega Main Hall

Monday, December 08, 2025, Stockholm, Sweden, Cirkus

Tuesday, December 09, 2025, Oslo, Norway, Rockefeller