David Gray Unveils New Single 'Singing for the Pharaoh'
Listen to the single from David Gray’s highly anticipated album Dear Life.
By: Josh Sharpe Dec. 06, 2024
GRAMMY® nominated British singer-songwriter David Gray releases his brand new single “Singing for the Pharaoh,” out now via Gray’s independent label, Laugh A Minute Records/Secretly Distribution. The track serves as the third single off David’s highly anticipated thirteenth album Dear Life, out January 17.
“Singing for the Pharaoh,” tells a story of a performer’s internal battle as they struggle with expressing their emotions with their art and landing a message with an audience without feeling too exposed. An inherently upbeat, groovy track with heavy percussion and stripped-back electronic synths, the track presents a serious message with a smile on its face, tip-toeing the lines between emotional vulnerability, performative therapy, and boundaries of outward expression.
“The song ponders the idea of how a singer might hope to protect their heart while at the same time opening it to its full extent so that the emotional truth of the music has a fighting chance of reaching the listener,” Gray shares on the track. “In an ideal world, every show is a winner and the audience just can’t get enough of you. But in reality, it can be tough out there. It might be that you’re playing to a difficult crowd, a titanium-hearted record exec, or even a super-wealthy businessman who thinks he owns the world.”
Dear Life is Gray’s most profound, unique, and heartfelt work to date. Weaving a story unlike any other, the record reveals the singer-songwriter as a driven individual dedicated to a personal artistic journey. As a bonafide storyteller through and through, Gray highlights his innermost self through richly poetic lyrics and an expansive musical range. Produced by Ben de Vries and recorded in a makeshift studio two hours outside of London in Norfolk, Dear Life navigates the complex interplay between emotional crisis and resolution, mortality and faith, reality and illusion, and love and heartbreak, all while maintaining a sonically cohesive and immersive soundscape. With lead singles “Plus & Minus” and “After the Harvest,” Gray has given his fans a taste of what’s to come from this forthcoming chapter in his musical journey.
The physical release of Dear Life will include two additional tracks, “The Messenger” and “More Than Anything,” available exclusively on Vinyl/CD format. Fans can catch Gray on his upcoming Past & Present World Tour kicking off January 24th in Boston, Massachusetts. Full list of tour dates below and more information HERE.
Past & Present World Tour Dates:
January 24th - Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway
January 25th - Philadelphia, PA - The Met
January 26th - Washington D.C, Anthem
January 28th - New York City, NY - Beacon Theatre
January 29th - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Center for the Arts
January 31st - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
February 1st - Detroit, MI - Masonic Cathedral Theatre
February 2nd - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
February 3rd - Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre
February 6th - Portland, OR - Keller Auditorium
February 7th - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre
February 8th - Vancouver, BC - The Centre
February 10th - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
February 13th - Highland, CA - Yaamava Theater
February 14th - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre
February 15th - Valley Center, CA - Harrah's Resort Southern California
February 17th - Salt Lake City, UT - Delta Hall at Eccles Theatre
February 18th - Denver, CO - Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre
February 20th - Austin, TX - ACL Live Moody Theatre
February 21st - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre
February 23rd - Atlanta, GA - Coca-Cola Roxy
February 24th - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
March 13th - Portsmouth, UK - Guildhall
March 14th - Brighton, UK - Brighton Dome / SOLD-OUT
March 16th - Swansea, UK - Swansea Arena / SOLD-OUT
March 17th - Bath, UK - The Forum / SOLD-OUT
March 18th - Oxford, UK - New Theatre
March 20th - Newcastle, UK - O2 City Hall
March 21st - Stockton, UK - Globe Theatre / SOLD-OUT
March 22nd - Glasgow, UK -SEC Armadillo / SOLD-OUT
March 24th - Nottingham, UK - Royal Concert Hall
March 25th - Manchester, UK - O2 Apollo
March 27th - Sheffield, UK - City Hall
March 28th - Llandudno, UK - Venue Cymru / SOLD-OUT
March 29th - Leicester, UK- De Montfort Hall / SOLD-OUT
March 31st - Liverpool, UK - Philharmonic Hall / SOLD-OUT
April 1st - Birmingham, UK - Symphony Hall
April 3rd - London, UK - Royal Albert Hall / SOLD-OUT
April 5th - Dublin, Ireland - 3 Arena
April 7th - Brussels, Belgium - Cirque Royal
April 9th - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Royal Theatre Carré / SOLD OUT
April 10th - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Royal Theatre Carré
April 12th - Copenhagen, Denmark - KB Hall
May 2nd - Dublin, Ireland - 3Arena
May 6th - Glasgow, UK - SEC Armadillo
May 8th - Wolverhampton, UK - Civic Hall
May 9th - London, UK - Palladium / SOLD-OUT
May 10th - London, UK - Palladium
August 27th - Killarney, Ireland - Gleneagle INEC Arena / SUPPORT TO BE ANNOUNCED
August 30th - Belfast - Custom House Square / SUPPORT TO BE ANNOUNCED
About David Gray:
David Gray has established himself as one of the UK’s leading music artists both at home and overseas. Gray’s commercial success is also backed up by a critical consensus and numerous accolades. He has quietly become one of the most influential, impactful, and inimitable British vocalists of this century, gathering two Ivor Novello Awards, in addition to notching four BRIT Award nominations, two GRAMMY® nominations, and multi-PLATINUM certifications worldwide. Gray broke the mold with his album, White Ladder, in 1998. Beyond going platinum in North America, it historically became “the tenth best-selling album of the 21st century in the United Kingdom,” and “the best-selling album in Ireland.” Paving the way for generations, its success spawned a new wave of singer-songwriters in an acoustic boom that resonates to this day of artists, including Ed Sheeran and Adele who count Gray as an influence. To this day, he remains an electrifying performer, selling-out arenas and amphitheaters on various continents. Recently announcing his highly anticipated thirteenth album, Dear Life out January 17th, 2025, Gray will make his musical return. With no signs of slowing down, fans can catch Gray on his “Past & Present” World Tour. For more information, please visit www.davidgray.com.
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