Leon Bridges Announces New Album 'Happiness Anytime,' Drops First Four Tracks
American singer-songwriter Leon Bridges announced his fifth studio album, Happiness Anytime, on July 17, 2026, with a release date of September 15, 2026 via Columbia. The record is produced by J Lloyd-Watson and Lydia Kitto of the British trio Jungle, and its first batch of songs is already available to stream. According to NME, the album is expected to blend the warm, deep character of his 2015 debut Coming Home with the lighter, more adventurous feel he explored on his collaborations with Khruangbin.
First Tracks and Rollout Structure
Happiness Anytime will contain 12 songs in total, released in three EPs of four tracks each. The first batch (EP 1) went live the day of the announcement:
- "Light The Way"
- "Tears of Joy"
- "Illusion"
- "Your Love Is Electric"
During recording, Bridges brought in bassist Pino Palladino — known for his work with D'Angelo and Adele, among others — to complete the sessions.
Pop-Up Shows and the Album's Intent
Ahead of the announcement, Bridges had already played a string of surprise pop-up shows in Paris, Cannes, Los Angeles, London, and at the Montreux Jazz Festival as a warm-up for the new record. The London show took place in Camden on July 16, with a second Camden date planned for the following day, July 17.
Speaking about the album's intent, Bridges said he wants the record to serve as an antidote to modern-day burnout: "My role is to be the light." Happiness Anytime follows his fourth studio album, Leon (2024), and last year's holiday single with Norah Jones, "This Christmas I'm Coming Home."
- 📅 Release date: September 15, 2026
- 💿 Label: Columbia
- 🎛️ Production: J Lloyd-Watson, Lydia Kitto (Jungle)
- 🎵 First four tracks streaming now; pre-order link in the official announcement