LISTEN HERE
MUSIC VIDEO FOR “WILD GUESS”
STARRING MARY BETH BARONE
OUT NOW
WATCH HERE
(photo credit: Erica Snyder)
From teenage sensation to global star, Ruel enters a bold new chapter with his sophomore record, Kicking My Feet, out nowvia Giant Music– Listen HERE. Across its 11 tracks, the project signals a bold new era for the 22-year-old artist, capturing his growth as a songwriter and storyteller while pushing further into the emotional honesty and sonic richness that continue to define his artistry.
Led by the focus track “Not What’s Going On”, the album puts Ruel’s heart on full display, wrestling with the weight of love that both lingers and leaves. Building on the stripped back vulnerability of recent singles “Wild Guess”, “I Can Die Now” and “The Suburbs”, Kicking My Feet finds him at his most raw and reflective. Throughout the record, he unpacks the highs and lows of love, from heartbreak, healing and self-sabotage to self-discovery and independence. At its core, it is a coming-of-age album that translates the defining years of his life into unflinching storytelling.
“With the lack of restrictions I gave myself, I still feel like I had the clearest vision I've ever had going into making a project. And there was a lot of certainty on how I wanted it to be perceived, the kind of artist that I want to be perceived as, and the things I wanted to say.” - Ruel
Earlier this week, Ruel released the official music video for “Wild Guess,” co-starring actor/comedian Mary Beth Barone (Overcompensating) and directed by Jackie Zhou (Chappell Roan “Hot To Go!”). Set in the Wild West, the tongue-in-cheek visual sees Barone as his ex, as the two are forced to reunite on set as actors who can’t quite put the past behind them. Between the bickering, eye-rolls and on-camera tension, the duo captures the hilariously messy reality of working with someone you once loved. Their undeniable chemistry and sharp comedic timing turn the whole thing into a rom-com gone deliciously wrong.
Barone on the experience, “I was so excited to play the ex loveinterest of a 22 year old in a music video. It’s just an honor to be thought of in that way as a woman in my 30s. I think it’s a step forward for filmmaking, storytelling, and culture in general. And the song being about a breakup, it just felt right.
My heart goes out to anyone who has to work with their ex, especially in an on set environment.
Ruel is a total professional and very kind so maybe the youth really will save us.”
As an extension of his recent releases, the Kicking My Feet leans into warm, folk-inspired textures while staying true to his pop roots. On “Wild Guess” he contemplates the slow unraveling of a relationship with quiet resignation, while the buoyant “I Can Die Now” celebrates a love so powerful it feels like the peak of existence. Tracks like “The Suburbs” and “No News Is Good News” dive into nostalgia and uncertainty, before the closer “dst (outro)” leaves listeners with a sense of acceptance. Honest lyricism pairs with the signature vocals fans know and love as Ruel evolves his sound into new territory. The result is a body of work that resonates both sonically and emotionally, blending sharp wordplay with melodies that linger long after the songs end.
To shape the sound of of Kicking My Feet, Ruel teamed up with an all-star roster of producers including Julian Bunetta (Sabrina Carpenter, One Direction), Kenny Beats (Dominic Fike, Ed Sheeran), Dan Wilson (Adele, Taylor Swift, Chris Stapleton), Taka Perry (KATSEYE), and longtime collaborator M-Phazes(Eminem, Kehlani, Ruel’s debut album). Earlier this week, he was also announced to join the lineup for Lollapalooza’s South American run, with performances in Argentina, Chile, and Brazil, as well as Colombia next March.
DOWNLOAD ALTERNATIVE PRESS IMAGE HERE
(photo credit: Erica Snyder)
Kicking My Feet Tracklist:
1. Only Ever
2. Wild Guess
3. When You Walk In The Room
4. I Can Die Now
5. Not What’s Going On
6. Destroyer
7. The Suburbs
8. No News Is Good News
9. Even Angels Won’t
10. Kicking My Feet
11. dst (outro)
About Ruel
Australia’s pop prodigy Ruel is growing up and it shows on his highly anticipated sophomore album Kicking My Feet, available Oct 17th via Giant Music. Pop’s newest It Boy has been on the rise since he was a teenager, adorning his studio walls are an ever-growing collection of platinum plaques and award statues from the likes of RIAA, MTV, ARIA and Nickelodeon.
He has amassed over three billion streams, sold out multiple world tours and regularly attends fashion shows at the invitation of luxury haute couture such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès. Away from the runway, Ruel’s admiration for unique, highly conceptualised style can be seen in his editorials with Prada and Fendi, and through his extensive list of features on the pages of Vogue, GQ, NME and The Face. Around the world, eyes have been keenly watching Ruel’s career ascent; notably by Sir Elton John and Zane Lowe, both of whom have sung the praises of the UK-born, Sydney-raised talent, calling him a "superstar."
Kicking My Feet showcases the 22-year-old’s sharpened songwriting as he explores the innocence and embarrassment of being young and in love, as the album title teases. Alongside frequent collaborator M-Phazes, the album has Ruel expanding his roster of creative partners, including Dan Wilson, Julian Bunetta, Kenny Beats and Taka Perry. The experimentation with his sound and artistry, has Ruel evolving himself into a bolder musician on an unmissable trajectory.
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Website: https://blackstar.space/