Ezra Collective announce new album ‘Here Because of Hope and share new single “Only Love” featuring Pa Salieu

Fresh off of headlining the new music stage at BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend, Ezra Collective announce their brand-new fourth studio album Here Because of Hope, set for release on Sept 18th via Partisan Records, alongside the release of its first single “Only Love” featuring Pa Salieu.

Here Because of Hope marks the beginning of a bold new chapter for Ezra Collective; expansive, emotional and deeply rhythmic, the album captures a band continuing to push the boundaries of contemporary British music while remaining rooted in the community, spirituality and collective energy that has defined them from the very beginning.

The album’s first single Only Love sees Ezra Collective join forces with Pa Salieu for the very first time, uniting two artists whose music is deeply shaped by diasporic identity, rhythm and storytelling.

Built around West African-inspired grooves, euphoric horns and Pa’s deeply personal lyricism, the track finds beauty in resilience, joy and survival.

Speaking on the track, bandleader Femi Koleoso says “Pa Salieu has been a musician that we have long admired in Ezra Collective. Not just because of his incredible lyricism and storytelling but also his ability to weave in his Gambian heritage and roots into such a distinctly UK sound. In 2024 we had the beautiful moment playing at Wembley Arena, looking out into the crowd and seeing Pa Salieu dancing and partying with his friends and in that moment, I had the very thought we need to make a song together for this kind of setting. I spent some time studying West African music, studying Gambian music, and let that influence the bassline of this track and the drumbeat. We linked up with Pa in Wood Green and immediately his stories started to flow, he came with a bunch of lyrics that he had from a really hard time he went through, but in those lyrics were so many stories of pain but also beauty, joy and love, and we were trying to find that beautiful place in the middle of those two things, and that’s how we came about this song.”

Check out the new track ‘Only Love’ below: