Molly Payton has announced her highly anticipated debut album.
Titled YOYOTTA, the album takes its name from the title track “You’re On Your Own This Time Again”.
According to a press release, the London-based Aotearoa singer-songwriter’s debut is “a deeply personal project that depicts the artist at her most vulnerable.”
“The result is a body of work that ties together past releases and provides new context to the artist’s life and emotions,” the press release adds.
Arriving alongside today’s album announcement is Payton’s new single “Get Back to You”, which she wrote alongside James Hogarth and Benjamin Francis Leftwich, with her frequent collaborator Oscar Lang handling production duties aided by Payton herself.
According to Payton, “Get Back to You” is the ideal way to round out her album.
“The track is about realising you’ve been so caught up in yourself that you’ve lost sight of the person you love and wanting to find your way back to them,” she explains.
“When I met my last boyfriend, I was navigating a low point in my career, while also barely dealing with the loss of my father who had just gone to prison. Although I desperately wanted to just be happy with him and be a good partner, I felt at times like I was being pulled underneath all of these things. This song was a way for me to reach out to him and show him I was trying.”
Reuben Scott of up-and-coming New Zealand outfit Salt Water Criminals lends backing vocals to the track, a sweet moment for Payton and her close friend.
“He plays both guitar and drums on YOYOTTA, shaping the project sonically without ever taking much of the credit. I was so grateful that he agreed to lend his voice to the song,” she says.
“Get Back to You” follows Payton’s previous 2024 single “Accelerate”, which will also feature on YOYOTTA.
“Near the end of recording the album I started to feel like there was something missing on the record. I had dealt with a lot of heavier parts of what I’ve been through in the last few years but I hadn’t fully captured all the chaos and fun that I’d had as well.
“I just wanted to write something fun and not take myself too seriously and accelerate was the answer to that. It’s a driving, roaring song about setting yourself free and diving headfirst into things without worrying too much about the consequences,” she shared about “Accelerate” upon the single’s release.
This year also saw Payton take part in Georgia Lines’ popular music web series, INTROS, where she was described as a “thoughtful singer-songwriter who cites timeless talents such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and Neil Young as major songwriting influences.” You can watch the full episode here.
Molly Payton’s “Get Back to You” is out now.
