David Byrne is back, and he’s asking one of life’s biggest questions. The Talking Heads icon has unveiled his latest single, “What Is The Reason For It? (feat. Hayley Williams),” ahead of his eagerly awaited new album Who Is The Sky?, set for release this Friday via Matador Records.
The track, featuring Paramore’s Hayley Williams, sees Byrne exploring the complexities of love in his signature cerebral yet accessible style. The two artists’ vocals intertwine effortlessly, creating a warm, reflective dialogue that examines the puzzling nature of human relationships. Lines like “does it do something useful? / nobody understands it” underscore the song’s quest to understand the unexplainable aspects of love.
Byrne, speaking to People, recounted the collaboration: “When we were finishing up the record, the producer Kid Harpoon and I were wondering, ‘Oh, maybe this song is a love song, or at least it’s asking what love is about? Why do we do this? Why do other people do it? Do we know anything about it?’ And I knew that she was in town, so I just texted her and said, ‘Do you want to come by and sing on this?’ And she said yes. And she killed it.”
The accompanying video, a collaboration with artist Dustin Yellin, employs cutting-edge AI to animate more than 20 of Byrne’s original line drawings. The result is a visually arresting piece that brings the singer’s whimsical, thought-provoking illustrations to life, reflecting the playful yet philosophical tone of the song.
Who Is The Sky? is Byrne’s first full-length release since 2018’s critically acclaimed American Utopia, an album that later became a hit Broadway musical and a Spike Lee-directed HBO film. Produced by Grammy-winning Kid Harpoon—whose credits include Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus—the 12-track album features arrangements by New York’s Ghost Train Orchestra and a roster of notable collaborators including Hayley Williams, St. Vincent, and The Smile’s Tom Skinner.
The record was introduced earlier this year by the infectious first single “Everybody Laughs,” a bright, universalist anthem celebrating human connection and resilience in the face of a chaotic world. Critics have praised the track for its life-affirming energy, with Billboard calling it “the universalist anthem about the emotions and feelings we all share,” and Consequence noting Byrne at his “most life-affirming and summery.”
“At my age, at least for me, there’s a ‘don’t give a shit about what people think’ attitude that kicks in,” Byrne reflected on the album’s spirit. “I can step outside my comfort zone with the knowledge that I kind of know who I am by now and sort of know what I’m doing. That said, every new set of songs, every song even, is a new adventure. There’s always a bit of, ‘how do I work this?’ I’ve found that not every collaboration works, but often when they do, it’s because I’m able to clearly impart what it is I’m trying to do. They hopefully get that, and as a result, we’re now joined together heading to the same unknown place.”
The tracklist for Who Is The Sky? promises an eclectic journey through Byrne’s unique musical mind:
Everybody Laughs
When We Are Singing
My Apartment Is My Friend
A Door Called No
What Is the Reason for It?
I Met the Buddha at a Downtown Party
Don’t Be Like That
The Avant Garde
Moisturising Thing
I’m an Outsider
She Explains Things to Me
The Truth
To support the album, Byrne will embark on an extensive world tour, kicking off in North America this month. Highlights include multiple nights at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre, and Chicago’s The Auditorium, before heading to Australia and New Zealand in January 2026, with shows in Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. The tour then continues through Europe and the UK.
Tickets for the tour are available at davidbyrne.com, and early indications suggest shows will be in high demand, particularly in major cities where Byrne’s enduring influence and recent resurgence have sparked renewed interest.
With Who Is The Sky?, Byrne continues to prove that even decades into his career, he remains a restless, adventurous artist. The album balances whimsy and introspection, danceable grooves and lyrical sophistication, a hallmark that has kept him relevant from the Talking Heads era to today’s streaming age. His collaboration with Williams adds an extra layer of freshness, bridging generational and stylistic gaps while staying unmistakably Byrne.
Who Is The Sky? will be released this Friday through Matador Records.
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