Even in her more subdued moments, there’s always been something deliciously theatrical about Jessie Ware. Superbloom, the singer-songwriter’s sixth studio album, sparkles with the mischief and confidence of an artist fuelled on years of enthusiastic pop star study: its ballads are draped in velvet and low light; its airy disco cuts pulse like a Balearic beach party; there’s even a steam-thick, candlelit sauna fantasy – think Bette Midler at the baths in full cabaret mode.
The London singer’s stunning second act has been shaped by her predominantly queer fandom, whose appetite for glamour has found a perfect mirror in Ware’s increasingly liberated sound. A career-redefining response to 2020’s What’s Your Pleasure? kicked off the 41-year-old’s current trajectory, which saw her secure her first Mercury Prize nomination in nearly a decade, and expand her live profile with a Harry Styles support slot run and a slew of key festival slots across Glastonbury, Mighty Hoopla and Primavera Sound.
With the release of Superbloom, the stakes are only set to get higher. 14 years on from her debut LP Devotion – an era first teased its author’s command of dance music, via collaborations with Disclosure and SBTRKT – Ware will play London’s O2, The Hydro in Glasgow and Manchester’s Co-op Live at the end of 2026, marking her first-ever arena headline shows. For an artist like Ware, who has gradually reinvented herself into a modern pop torchbearer, these bookings speak to a journey that has steadily gathered force and confidence.
“The energy is going to be amazing,” says Ware, speaking to Billboard U.K. over the phone about her forthcoming tour. “I’m trying to enjoy these moments and not be scared by them. It’s taken me nearly 15 years to get to The O2, but I wouldn’t change that for the world. I’m definitely going to revel in that night, for sure, because it’s taken a lot of hard work and some highs and lows to get there.”
The newer material feels primed for her biggest stages yet: Ware adopts the alter-ego of ‘Shirley Bloom’ on standout “Don’t You Know Who I Am,” her voice expanding heavenwards, soulful and melismatic. “Ride,” meanwhile, pairs the disco-house futurism of Beyonce’s Renaissance with the country reimagining of follow-up Cowboy Carter, giving The Good, The Bad and The Ugly theme new life, while “I Could Get Used To This” exudes “Venus energy” with its luxurious, shimmering synths. Taken together, the tracks unveil a series of high-drama personas, unified by an overarching theme of reinventing oneself.
Here, Ware tells Billboard U.K. about the next chapter in her artistry, from her “major” plans to bring Superbloom to the stage to what it means to be truly stepping into her power.
Superbloom is your sixth studio album. Do you tend to go into the making of a record with a sense of what you want the record to be, or does that reveal itself as things unfold?
For the last couple of records, I have gone into the studio with this very strong sense of what I wanted it to be. Then this time – which kind of threw me – the record that I thought I was making was going to be this kind of big, banging dance thing, but it just wasn’t coming. I think it took experience and confidence to be able to go, “You know what, I thought this was the record, but this isn’t meant to be. Let’s see what’s really resonating.”
I needed to live my life a bit, and I wanted to enjoy exploring and expressing that. Once I had the song “Automatic,” which has this beautiful, relaxed groove and an electronic sample but it also felt soulful – it felt like the perfect marrying of the two kinds of worlds that I wanted to make. I learned about patience and trusting my gut with this album. There was a fork in the road moment where I thought I could do this kind of hyper, pop-dance record and it just didn’t sit completely right with me – so I went the other way. I’m really proud of the results.
What’s something new you allowed yourself to do on this record as you fully stepped into that confidence?
I think what’s been an eye-opening thing for me is having footage of me in the studio and seeing how, I mean one could say “boss’”.. I’d like to say lead! I realized that I go 500 miles an hour in the studio. But bless my gorgeous producers, who have such patience and allow my mind to dart off into all different places, and manage to still bring all that together and all my ideas. When looking back at the footage, I was like, “Oh wow, I don’t stop. I’m actually quite exhausting.” And thank God these people suffered me…
On your last headline tour, you performed an electrifying cover of Cher’s “Believe.” What’s the next diva anthem you’d like to tackle?
God, “Believe” was just such a great one to do! I think there’s plenty of scope to get another cover on the setlist. I don’t know, I think I may put it to the fans and see what they fancy me singing. To be honest, that could be quite fun, and see if there’s a general consensus. I haven’t really thought about a cover yet, but I’m sure I will because I think “Believe” stays in that zone; she belongs to the [2023] That! Feels Good! era, for sure.
How does the shared, communal energy of your live performances feed back into the songwriting across Superbloom?
My relationship with my fans is fabulous. They have just given me this incredible confidence to go for it – vocally, creatively, lyrically – and they egg me on to always push myself further. I love that they’ve made me the artist that I am, and that I keep on trying to be. They’re always in my thoughts.
When I was writing this record, I wanted something that could satisfy the people that love shouting out [older, high-octane] songs like “Shake the Bottle” to me. But I also wanted to give the fans a ballad, because I had shied away from ballads for a while, and I could see the impact of when I’d play “Say You Love Me” with just a piano. Ballads were part of my artist DNA when I first started.
On the flip side, what’s the most constructive criticism you’ve received from fans? Can they be harsh critics too?
I did go through my DM requests the other day, and I don’t usually look at those on Instagram – I just never know what’s going to be in there! One fan was very angry that I wasn’t remaking What’s Your Pleasure?. And I thought, “OK, well sorry, mate, that’s a record that exists, but I want to keep on pushing myself.” People get very emotionally tied to particular records, and then they want an artist to make the same thing again and again. I want to keep on switching it up.
To be honest, my fans are very, very good to me. If anything, they just want more! I want to give them more by doing these mini acoustic shows. We didn’t have loads of time to rehearse, so my lovely pianist, Mike, learned six songs. You know, everyone thinks [these shows are like] bloody Justin Bieber’s Coachella set, and that I can take requests. And I was like, “I wish I could sing any of my songs to you, but bless, Mike doesn’t know them!”
We had a good giggle, and it made me think about how I can satisfy the audiences that have been here from the start, the ones that want deep cuts. I saw Pet Shop Boys do this amazing gig last week where they only performed B-sides. I just think that is a legacy. That’s an act listening to their fans and wanting to respect them, and I hope I get to the point where I can just be like, “Oh, do you want a whole piano show, or do you want a whole ballad show, or do you want a whole B-side show?” I’d love to do that s–t!
You have worked in lots of different mediums – from podcasting to memoir writing – but always come back to pop music as your primary means of expression. What makes it such a powerful medium for you?
The beauty of pop music is that it allows you to connect with so many people. There’s a beautiful kind of universality about pop – I’m talking like Prince, Annie Lennox, or Madonna, – that feels like it’s for everyone and anyone. In a world that is so challenging, pop can provide a beautiful escape. You look at the pop girls right now and what they’re doing, whether it be Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan or Addison Rae, and they’re all doing their own thing. But between them all, there’s this shared delight in the performance. I’m really here for it!
But I mean, the one who does it the best is Lady Gaga. Whilst I don’t think I’ve got the numbers or the budget yet to put on a Gaga show, when you strip all of that [production] stuff back, Gaga could be there just singing at the piano and it would still be incredible. She’s absolutely beyond talented. I love how she creates an occasion, but also has this deep connection with her fans. I think she’s remarkable. I loved the Mayhem Ball. I thought it was beautiful. I thought Sabrina’s show was so fun too, because I’m a sucker for musical theatre and campness.
What else has inspired you recently in the realm of pop?
I think Naomi Scott’s album [F.I.G] has been really exciting, a great record. She’s taken her time with it and I think it feels incredibly unique to Naomi, but I hear all the references too. I’m really happy for her. My kids really like Pale Jay, so we listen to a lot of him. James Blake’s new record, Trying Times, is absolutely stunning – I think it’s some of his best work, I absolutely love it. And I think Rose Gray is really cool too!
How do you envision bringing the ethereal, expansive world of Superbloom to the stage?
When it comes to my next show, all I’m thinking about is the production. I’m already speaking with my creative director. It’s like, “Do I invite everyone to come in togas or cowboy hats, or both?” I think there’s definitely going to be this secret garden world on stage, bringing out all these beautiful themes of the record whilst also being able to incorporate the older music with that too. It will be my biggest show yet.
I’m playing some of the biggest venues I’ve ever played: The O2 [London], Co-op Live [Manchester], Radio City Music Hall [New York], the Greek Theatre [Los Angeles]. For me, this is a huge deal. These shows are something to be celebrated, but I also want to acknowledge the spaces and think, ‘How do we create the same kind of show in Radio City Music Hall, which is a beautiful theatre, that still makes sense at The O2?’. I’m really excited about that challenge.
