UK rapper Little Simz shared a new song called “Introvert” and announced that it’s the lead single from an album called Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. The full release is scheduled for September 3, 2021 via Age 101.

“Sometimes I might be introvert/There’s a war inside/I hear battle cries,” Little Simz sings near the beginning of “Introvert.” The song’s lyrics deal with the way that external struggles spark internal emotion, and the song’s maximalist instrumental serves as the chaos of the world outside around Little Simz’s inner thoughts. There are dramatic strings, militant drums, a cinematic choir and many more elements all blended together to create a nearly six-minute epic. 

Simz’s lyrics are packed with commentary on current events and memorable quotes. Out of all the lines she delivers, perhaps the end of the last verse is the best way to summarize the song’s content, “I’m directly affected, it does more than just bother me/Look beyond the surface, don’t just see what you wanna see?/My speech ain’t involuntary/Project with intention straight from my lungs/I’m a black woman and I’m a proud one/We walk in blind faith not knowing the outcome/But as long as we’re unified, then we’ve already won.”

An ambitious music video for the track seems to compare modern times with ages long past by pairing footage of last years’ Black Lives Matter protests with the elaborate scenes depicted by Renaissance painters. Looking even further back, Little Simz and a group of performers are seen dancing inside London’s Natural History Museum. There are also scenes of Black solidarity and family connections mixed in. Salomon Ligthelm’s direction combines all of these elements using various techniques, and the small details add up to a larger picture, fitting of Little Simz’s ideas on the bigger picture.

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert will be Little Simz’s follow-up to her highly acclaimed 2019 album GREY Area, which made it onto mxdwn’s top albums list for that year. She also released an EP last year called Drop 6 which features one of mxdwn’s top songs of 2020, “might bang, might not.” Recently, she’s collaborated with artists including Yuna, Anna Wise and James BKS.

The upcoming album was produced by Inflo and features collaborations from Cleo Sol, Obongjayar and Emma Corrin. It’s available for physical pre-order on the rapper’s website, where there are several colored vinyl options and new Sometimes I Might Be Introvert merch.

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert Tracklist:

1. Introvert
2. Woman (ft. Cleo Sol)
3. Two Worlds Apart
4. I Love You, I Hate You
5. Little Q Pt 1 (Interlude)
6. Little Q Pt 2
7. Gems (Interlude)
8. Speed
9. Standing Ovation
10. I See You
11. The Rapper That Came to Tea (Interlude)
12. Rollin Stone
13. Protect My Energy
14. Never Make Promises (Interlude)
15. Point and Kill (ft. Obongjayar)
16. Fear No Man
17. The Garden (Interlude)
18. How Did You Get Here
19. Miss Understood