Robyn's 'Sexistential': A Look at the Pop Icon's First Album in Six Years

After a six-year wait since her last full-length project, Swedish artist and long-standing LGBTQ+ community favourite Robyn has released her ninth studio album, Sexistential. The nine-track album sees her reuniting with producer Klas Åhlund for a sound that recalls the sharp, emotional electro-pop of her celebrated 2010 Body Talk era.

The album, released through her own Konichiwa Records, has been met with positive reviews from music critics. Many have noted its blend of propulsive dance tracks with introspective lyrics that touch on new phases of the artist's life, including motherhood, while retaining a focus on physicality and desire.

The Meaning of 'Sexistential'

The album's title is a portmanteau of 'sex' and 'existential'. In promotional interviews, Robyn explained that the term began as an inside joke but soon came to represent the album's core ideas. She described it as a feeling of being connected to one's own sensuality and attractions without letting external pressures interfere. For an artist whose music has often provided a soundtrack for queer self-discovery and resilience on the dance floor, this theme of self-defined sensuality is a natural evolution.

In her own words, the album felt like a return to self after a period of exploration: "like a spaceship coming through the atmosphere at a really high speed and crash landing... now I'm crashing back into myself."

The Music and Singles

The album was preceded by several singles that offered a glimpse into its sound. The lead single, "Dopamine," set the tone with its shimmering synths and ascendant chorus. This was followed by a double A-side release of the title track "Sexistential" and "Talk to Me." The final single was a reworked version of her 2002 song "Blow My Mind," connecting her past work with her current artistic direction.

Live Performances

To promote the album, Robyn returned to the stage for the first time since 2019 with a series of high-profile performances. These included a surprise show at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles and a New Year's Eve performance in Times Square for CNN, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.

Amsterdam

Robyn is scheduled as the supporting act for Harry Styles for his ten-show residency at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam this May. The dates are part of Styles' 'Together, Together' tour and will provide a major platform for her new material.