FOY VANCE | THE WAKE – ALBUM RELEASE CELEBRATIONS | THE DUKE OF YORK ON 7TH MARCH 2026

SHINE PRESENTS

FOY VANCE

THE WAKE – ALBUM RELEASE CELEBRATIONS

7TH MARCH 2026

THE DUKE OF YORK

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY JANUARY 23RD AT 10AM VIA TICKETMASTER.IE

FOY VANCE ANNOUNCES THE WAKE

SEVENTH ALBUM AND FINAL CHAPTER IN HIS 26-YEAR ODYSSEY OF DISCOVERY COMING MARCH 13TH VIA ROUNDER RECORDS

Announces a series of intimate release shows in NYC, LA, Nashville, London and Belfast – more info here

Autobiographical “Hi, I’m The Preacher’s Son” out now – listen here

“Sketches of The Wake” available Tuesday, Jan 20 – watch a preview here

Emmy Award-winning singer-songwriter Foy Vance announces his upcoming album The Wake, coming March 13th via Rounder Records. This chapter marks the completion of a 26-year journey defined by tireless soul-searching and life-altering revelation. The path began in 1999, after the unexpected passing of his father, a travelling preacher who moved their family to the American South. In the midst of grief – and a sudden, clarifying sense of purpose – he committed to make seven albums, each one shaped by the impact of that loss.

He has carried one of his father’s favourite sayings — “Give me the boy until he is 7, and I will show you the man” — like a compass ever since.

“After my dad died, everything lined up and I knew I was meant to make seven records akin to those seven years, and that each record would represent a stage of my growth as an artist and a songwriter,” says Vance. “I figured that making seven albums would be the making of me.”

Now, with his seventh release on the horizon, he’s arriving at the end of that long-imagined arc. Produced by Ethan Johns (the Brit Award–winning producer known for his work with Paul McCartney, Ray LaMontagne, and more), The Wake brings Vance’s gritty vocal work to a potent convergence of folk, soul, and Southern blues, instilling every moment with unbridled vitality. At turns devastating, ecstatic and wildly illuminating, The Wake carries a title that reflects both sorrow and the promise of healing, and reveals an artist highly attuned to the task of preserving the human spirit in an often-unforgiving world.

Pre-Save here

Today, Vance shares one of the most introspective tracks on the album, “Hi, I’m The Preacher’s Son.” An autobiographical track that began as a riff composed on his 50th birthday, the song later unfolded in a weary, tender meditation on the parts of ourselves that never change.

Listen here + watch the official visualizer here

“Hi, I’m The Preacher’s Son” builds on Vance’s 2025 pre-release tracks, expanding the album’s ongoing exploration of humanity, faith, and grief. “I Think I Preferred The Question” wrestles with imposed belief, “A.I.” – the album’s lead track – is a wild nine-minute outcry on AI’s rise and the messy, irreplaceable humanity we all carry, and “Call Me Anytime” is a heartfelt reflection on the layers and multitudes of fatherhood.

Vance – a songwriter, painter and filmmaker – poured his relentless creativity into a series of visual works to accompany the album and each of the tracks, transforming the project into a testament to artistic expression. On Tuesday (1.20), he’ll share a documentary of the album’s genesis and creative process titled “Sketches of The Wake.” Filmed and edited by his longtime collaborator Babysweet (Gregg Houston), the 21-minute film illustrates Vance’s work in the studio with Johns and dives deeper into this collection’s personal meaning.

Watch a teaser of the documentary here

Across the decades, Vance has built a body of work where emotional immediacy meets sweeping, soulful sound — stories told with a fearlessness and fragile humanity that feel hand-carved from his own life. The Wake is the final volume in a run of albums that began with his 2007 debut Hope, and also includes standouts like 2016’s The Wild Swan (executive-produced by Sir Elton John), 2019’s From Muscle Shoals (recorded at the historic FAME Studios) and To Memphis, and 2021’s Signs of Life. All have shaped his singular blend of Americana, folk, and soul, drawing praise from Rolling Stone, NPR, and Billboard, and earning admiration from artists including Ed Sheeran, Bonnie Raitt, Kacey Musgraves, and Sir Elton John.

To celebrate the release of The Wake, Vance will play five intimate album release shows in NYC, LA, Nashville, London, and Belfast in March. Pre-sale begins on Wednesday, January 21st at 10am local time, with the public on-sale beginning Friday, January 23rd at 10am local time. See the full dates below and learn more here.

Later this year, Vance will play a special hometown show – A Celebration of Life with Foy Vance – coming to Custom House Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on August 15, 2026. The show will also feature Joshua Burnside, Vittorio Angelone, Bonnie Bishop, and Jon Plunkett. Learn more and get your tickets here.

The Wake Tracklist: