Willow has never been an artist content with repetition. With Petal Rock Black, her seventh studio album, she once again experiments with new sounds and rhythms. Released via Three Six Zero, the 12-track project runs for less than 30 minutes.
The album opens with its title track, narrated entirely by George Clinton. From there, the record unfolds with striking immediacy. The songs are concise. There is little excess.
Written and produced by Willow herself, Petal Rock Black also features contributions from Kamasi Washington and Tune-Yards. She described the project as “a personal offering that honours the labour of creation: of self, of sound, of community.”
The release follows 2024’s Empathogen, which topped the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. That album marked a turning point in her musical trajectory. Petal Rock Black builds on that foundation, sharpening its ideas into shorter, more immediate statements.
Below, we rank the best songs from Petal Rock Black.
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