| Fidelity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 17, 2026 (2026-04-17) | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 43:37 | |||
| Label | Drink Sum Wtr | |||
| Producer | Yaya Bey, Exaktly | |||
| Yaya Bey chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Fidelity | ||||
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Fidelity is an album by the American singer-songwriter Yaya Bey. It was released on April 17, 2026, through Drink Sum Wtr, following her 2025 album Do It Afraid.[1][2] Bey wrote and produced the album, with Exaktly co-producing three tracks.[3] The album was preceded by the singles "Blue" and "Egyptian Musk".[4][5]
Fidelity received positive reviews from critics, who characterized it as an album with references to 1990s and 2000s R&B, soul, jazz, and reggae. Reviews also praised Bey's treatment of grief, privacy, and mortality.
Background and release
Yaya Bey announced Fidelity on February 18, 2026. Pitchfork reported that it would arrive on April 17 through Drink Sum Wtr and described it as Bey's next LP after Do It Afraid.[1] The Line of Best Fit described Fidelity as a companion piece to Do It Afraid and reported that it was written around reflections Bey had after that album's release.[4]
The lead single, "Blue", was released with the announcement. In materials quoted by the Line of Best Fit, Bey said it was the first song she wrote for the album and that its production reminded her of early-2000s pop and R&B.[4] "Egyptian Musk", a collaboration with Queens reggae artist Nesta, was released on March 18, 2026.[5][6] In its coverage of the single, Pitchfork wrote that Bey described the album as addressing grief over her father's death and the erosion of Black communities in New York through gentrification.[6]
Music and lyrics
Reviews described Fidelity as rooted in R&B. John Amen of the Line of Best Fit wrote that the album moves between 2000s R&B/pop and older R&B, and interpreted its lyrics through grief and ambivalence.[7] For Pitchfork, Jayson Greene wrote that Fidelity is more "wistful and weightless" than Ten Fold (2024) and Do It Afraid, with Bey rapping less and singing more over keyboard sounds reminiscent of mid-1990s R&B.[8]
John-Paul Shiver of Treble described the album as soul music with jazz, lovers rock, and 1990s R&B elements.[9] Grant Sharples of Paste described its R&B, jazz, and reggae songs as meditations on mortality and brief romantic connections.[10] AllMusic's Andy Kellman described Fidelity as a close companion to Do It Afraid that incorporates soul, funk, hip-hop, reggae, house, and drum and bass. Kellman also wrote that Bey wrote and produced the album, with Exaktly co-producing three tracks.[3]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 83/100[11] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The Line of Best Fit | 7/10[7] |
| Paste | B[10] |
| Pitchfork | 7.8/10[8] |
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, Fidelity received an average score of 83, based on six reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[11]
Green, writing for Pitchfork, praised Bey's humor, vocal delivery, and production, writing for Pitchfork that the album emphasizes her singing and detailed sound design.[8] Amen wrote in the Line of Best Fit that the album's melodies mainly serve Bey's performances and found the record effective overall, while considering it somewhat repetitive.[7] Sharples wrote in Paste that the album works best when its band arrangements and production details support Bey's voice, particularly on "Blue".[10] In Treble, Shiver wrote that the album shows Bey moving from mourning toward a larger form of lament.[9] Kellman, reviewing the album for AllMusic, described it as a close companion to Do It Afraid and part of Bey's creative upswing.[3]
Track listing
Track listing adapted from Bandcamp and AllMusic.[2][3]
| No. | Title | Featured artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Me and Mine" | Samantha G. and Anastasia Antoinette | 1:03 |
| 2. | "The Towns (Bella Noche Pt. 2)" | 2:33 | |
| 3. | "The Great Migration" | 4:18 | |
| 4. | "Forty Days" | 3:26 | |
| 5. | "Higher" | 3:39 | |
| 6. | "Dream Girl (Lexapro Mix)" | 3:51 | |
| 7. | "Freeze Flight Fawn" | 1:23 | |
| 8. | "Slot Machines" | Deem Spencer | 2:45 |
| 9. | "Simp Daddy Line Dance" | Exaktly | 3:12 |
| 10. | "As the Ocean" | 2:43 | |
| 11. | "Blue" | 2:50 | |
| 12. | "Cup of Water" | 2:27 | |
| 13. | "In the Middle" | 1:58 | |
| 14. | "Egyptian Musk" | Nesta | 3:31 |
| 15. | "The Breakdown" | 1:38 | |
| 16. | "Who Are You" | 2:20 | |
| Total length: | 43:37 | ||
References
- Mickles, Kiana (February 18, 2026). "Yaya Bey Announces New Album Fidelity". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- "Fidelity, by Yaya Bey". Bandcamp. Yaya Bey. April 17, 2026. Archived from the original on June 22, 2026. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- Kellman, Andy. "Fidelity Review by Andy Kellman". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 22, 2026. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- Sandiford, Kayla (February 18, 2026). "Yaya Bey details seventh album, Fidelity". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- Sandiford, Kayla (March 18, 2026). "Yaya Bey and NESTA team up on new single, "Egyptian Musk"". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on March 19, 2026. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- Lindert, Hattie (March 18, 2026). "Listen to Yaya Bey's Lovestruck New Song "Egyptian Musk"". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- Amen, John (April 13, 2026). "Fidelity is infused with Yaya Bey's sincerity". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- Greene, Jayson (April 22, 2026). "Yaya Bey: Fidelity Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- Shiver, John-Paul (May 3, 2026). "Yaya Bey : Fidelity". Treble. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- Sharples, Grant (April 16, 2026). "Yaya Bey explores the ephemeral on Fidelity". Paste. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- "Fidelity by Yaya Bey". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on April 29, 2026. Retrieved June 26, 2026.