Petal Rock Black

Willow released her seventh studio album, Petal Rock Black, as a surprise digital drop on February 17, 2026, through Three Six Zero Recordings in partnership with gamma. The 12-track record continues the experimental jazz fusion direction of her 2024 album Empathogen, but pushes further into avant-garde and progressive pop territory. Recorded between 2024 and 2026, Willow played most of the instruments herself, working largely alone with only engineer Adam Schoeller present. She co-produced the album with Jon Batiste, who also produced the track "Vegetation."

The album features an eclectic set of collaborators: funk pioneer George Clinton recites a devotional poem on the title track, Kamasi Washington contributes saxophone on "Play," and Tune-Yards appear on "Omnipotent." The music draws from Alice Coltrane, Joni Mitchell, and Dirty Projectors, blending dense horn arrangements, shifting time signatures, and meditative lyrics rooted in Buddhist scriptures. Willow described the creation process as "equally nerve-wracking and inspiring," challenging herself to write, play, and record completely alone.

Critical response has been mixed. The Harvard Crimson awarded 4 stars, praising the album as a "reinvention" that "deepens her artistry." HotNewHipHop called it "maybe the best representation of her versatility and sharp songwriting so far." However, Pitchfork was more critical, describing it as "her most restless release yet" that sounds "a little too enamored with her own ability to sprawl." The Needle Drop criticized the Prince cover "I Would Die 4 U" as potentially "the worst Prince cover I have ever heard," while acknowledging Willow's "taste." No singles preceded the album, and no chart positions or certifications have been reported. [edit]