Grimes has released the trailer for her next album Psyopera.
On Wednesday, the enigmatic Canadian artist dropped a video titled Eve Is Online... that begins with text that looks as if it's been ripped from a 1980s video game: "Please wait patiently for the failure of the system." The visuals, a psychedelic and futuristic montage of imagery, features animation of a dystopian future with gargantuan statues of an alien baby, vintage videos of mid-20th century warfare, and intergalactic battle ships at war. It's the most detailed glimpse we've gotten into the singer's upcoming album so far.
Ahead, read everything we know about the project.
The trailer for Grimes' Psyopera album shares her views on AI
Throughout the trailer, Grimes is seen in a variety of looks which range from alien-like to angelic to party-ready. Towards the end, Grimes is dressed as an elfish warrior and is seemingly on livestream, with likes and comments pouring in atop her on screen.
The whole thing is narrated by a script that mirrors the famous opening words of the Gospel of John in the New Testament. But per Grimes's ongoing interest in new technology and futurism, the text is altered to be about the rise of AI:
"In the beginning was the word and the word was God.
And man made God in his image, and God embraced man's nature.
And Eden was forged in metal and artificial light rivaled the sun.
And God said, 'Conquer the heavens.'
On the first day, God created the large language model.
And the word was ..."
Watch the trailer below.
The themes of Grimes' Psyopera
Grimes spoke about this coming album with Interview in April. "I totally quit music a couple of years ago. Everything I’d been going through with the public and my personal life and having kids," she said, referencing her tumultuous relationship with trillionaire Elon Musk, with whom she has three kids., as well as her often tense relationship with the public. "I was like, 'I’m just going to be a stay-at-home mom. Screw this.'"
After finding herself inspired by a commission to write a rap for a K-pop artist, she found herself inspired to create music again, leading her to " to crank out some pop songs," in addition to the spoken word-oriented work she had been working on.
Even though she continues to be inspired by the technology of AI and its implications for humanity, Grimes said in the interview that "she does not use AI in music," clarifying she only had used it for visuals. She also did share her strong opinions about the importance of AI.
"We need to support companies like Anthropic. We need to be aware of what’s going on, and why it’s dangerous," she said. "For the last six years, everyone’s been like, 'Stop talking about this AI nonsense.' And I’ve been like, 'Guys, we’re going to end up in a military disaster. Will anyone listen to me?' Not to be on my high horse, but this is the most dangerous thing that is ever going to happen. This is a bigger deal than Jesus. It’s the same as monotheism taking over the Western world, if not much, much more impactful."
The tracklist for Grimes' Psyopera
The tracklist hasn't been released.
The release date for Grimes' Psyopera
There is no release date for the album yet.