21-year-old musical savant redveil releases his new album sankofa. His fourth studio album draws its name from a Ghanaian proverb meaning “it is not taboo to go back for what you have forgotten”, which he embodies in a painstakingly clear, tender album of love, regret and reflection. The album includes previously-released singles “brown sugar” featuring Smino, “mini me,” and “lone star” featuring Grammy-nominated vocalist Carolyn Malachi. Alongside the album, redveil is also sharing a new visual for album cut “time”, directed by Andrew Kim.

 

 

sankofa is a concept redveil has been developing in some form since he was 17, becoming fully realized after his move to California in 2024, maturing and immersing himself in the live shows of artists he admires in LA. “I found comfort and acceptance when I found more ways to appreciate the beauty of all of the parts of where I come from; whether they’re good or bad or pretty or not,” he says. “You can always be the person you want to be, but you also can’t run away from who you truly are and what you come from.”

 

 

The album fulfills his desire for clarity by laying his experiences bare on these songs, informed by his own relationship to religion and his family history. Working with director and creative partner Tyler Shuler, the pair have woven those themes of the album into the project’s visuals via recurring motifs of a ghostly, 1900s-era character named Rosie, and nods to the sankofa symbol.

Since redveil began releasing music at 15, each of his full-length albums have been entirely self-produced. Sankofa is no different, but he’s embracing a more open, collaborative dynamic to his production this time around. After moving to LA and being able to access professional studios and a wider swath of instruments and tools, redveil took it upon himself to bring new voices into the fold, working with the likes of Mikey Freedom Hart (Lana Del Rey, Blood Orange), Smino and session musicians to bring his intricate arrangements to life.

Early next year, redveil will embark on his 2026 North American tour run, the sankofa tour. Beginning February 11th, the 27-date tour will feature support from rising artist Chenayder and will see redveil bring his new music to life across major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and Toronto. Known for his moving live performances, including his standout Camp Flog Gnaw 2023 performance, this upcoming tour marks his largest headline run to date.