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Days ago Uproxx cover star Russ received the ultimate online compliment. The “Break!” musician was added to the shortlist of public figures whose look “stun” (as crowned by Pop Crave). But his physical attributes aren’t the only thing that leaves a lasting impact on users online–so does his way of thinking.
Today (March 18) on Russ let his followers across X (formerly Twitter) into the creative vision behind Wild. The trailer for Wild, Russ’ upcoming studio album, was just a piece of what he’s cooking up.
In a lengthy post (viewable here), Russ outlined the profound meaning behind the forthcoming body of work’s title and artwork (crafted by James Coffman). “The title ‘W!ld’ represents my evolved perspective on life’s inherent unpredictability and the transitional phase between resisting life’s challenges and embracing them,” he wrote.
As for the artwork, the blue creature featured in the center of the canvas drew humorous comparisons to the supermarket chain Food Lion’s logo by some fans. But for Russ, it continues the lyrics themes of the project.
“The artwork is an ambiguous (unknown) animal out in the open looking backwards,” wrote. “Maybe it’s a wolf. Maybe it’s a horse. Maybe we don’t know what it is.”
He continued: “That element really spoke to me because maybe I don’t know what the evolved version of me looks like and that’s ok. Not knowing what the unknown holds was what kept me from venturing out into it.”
Read Russ’ full breakdown below.
The title ‘W!ld’ represents my evolved perspective on life’s inherent unpredictability and the transitional phase between resisting life’s challenges and embracing them. It just as easily could’ve been called ‘The Unknown.’ After I got external success, my focus naturally shifted inward, realizing that there was a whole world I hadn’t explored yet. My internal one. At this point of my journey I’m really interested in navigating the ‘wild’ of my internal landscape so that I can engage with my external experiences with a renewed healthier and more grounded mindset. This album isn’t about me naively or arrogantly entering the unknown, but confidently proceeding, newly armed with the understanding that both joy and hardship are integral to the journey. I used to think that once you achieve external success, there would be no more problems. Smooth sailing from here on out LOL. But holding grief in one hand and gratitude in the other simultaneously is just how this sh*t (life) goes. I previously struggled with resisting that thought and kind of had a ‘fetal position’ mentality, but now I excitedly (hence the exclamation point) embrace the ‘wild’ adventure into the unknown, knowing that growth and self-discovery await, and that I’ll be okay regardless of the ups and downs.
The artwork is an ambiguous (unknown) animal out in the open looking backwards. Maybe it’s a wolf. Maybe it’s a horse. Maybe we don’t know what it is. That element really spoke to me because maybe I don’t know what the evolved version of me looks like and that’s ok. Not knowing what the unknown holds was what kept me from venturing out into it. God forbid I get pleasantly surprised LOL I really love how the animal is looking backwards too. It’s honest because to me that presents me looking back at my comfort zone while being out in the wild. It’s like ‘Fine, I’ll leave but lemme look back one more time before I do cuz man this is scary.’ T’all ever seen ‘The Croods?’ Anyway, yea the stance of the animal symbolizes my journey of leaving familiarity and ‘safety’ behind to explore uncharted (therefore scary) territories. I also feel like the ‘blank canvas’ vibes of the white background represents the freedom I seek and the vast unknown I am attempting to embrace. The absence of clutter or distractions emphasizes my pursuit of clarity and liberation, both internally and externally. There’s a rawness and loneliness about this art too which mirrors my own internal landscape as I go into a new phase of my life.
Russ has not confirmed Wild’s official release date. But fans should expect to hear it some time this spring or summer.
