Don’t miss the latest single from pioneering pianist, composer, and chart-topping Classical Soul artist Alexis Ffrench: Blackbird Rising / Blackbird Returning — a fluttering, thoughtful two-track release from his forthcoming album 24, due October 2, 2026.
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A calming and contemplative pair of tracks designed to bookend the day — from the first birdsong of morning to the blackbird’s final lullaby at dusk — Blackbird Rising / Blackbird Returning finds Ffrench returning to one of the most distinctive threads in his work: birdsong. From his 2018 hit Bluebird (streamed over 200 million times globally and Gold-certified in the US), to 2022’s Songbird, and now to the blackbird, birds have circled his music throughout his career.
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Ffrench explains: “That sense of awe and wonder when you look at a bird in flight makes you feel that you’re part of this incredible Earth when we’re all connected.”
The release also coincided with International Dawn Chorus Day on Sunday, May 3, 2026 — a global celebration encouraging us to wake at sunrise and listen to the “natural symphony” of spring’s peak birdsong. The Dawn Chorus is a reminder of our connection with nature, and of how the beauty of the natural world can be experienced from the most ordinary places — whether a garden, woodland, or an urban park.
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Formed of 24 meticulously crafted piano pieces, 24 is intended as a musical companion to the clockwork regularity of everyday life, unfolding as an intimate and immersive snapshot of a singular day. Gently guiding listeners from dawn to dusk — through the hush of early morning, into the busy heart of the day, and on to the evening’s golden hour — the album is woven from daydreams, memories of human connection, and a desire for authenticity within an ever-evolving, increasingly simulated digital age.
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Recorded at the legendary Provençal studio Miraval, owned by Brad Pitt and Damien Quintard, Ffrench made 24 during ten days of near-total immersion, performing across a range of vintage grand pianos, upright pianos, and organs. Adding delicate ripples of percussion to the record’s kaleidoscopic sound, the album also features a string ensemble with harp and upright bass.
Inspired in part by the many messages he has received from listeners throughout his career, 24 finds Ffrench reflecting on what his music means to those who find solace in it — and the cherished moments it has helped to soundtrack. As he puts it: “I wanted this album to reflect the everyday miracles in people’s lives.”
Throughout his career, Ffrench has asked one question above all others: “What do my listeners need from me?” Now, with 24, the answer is both simple and profound — music to live by.
2026 also marks the 20th anniversary of Ffrench’s seminal debut album Piano Diaries. With each piece evoking a series of intimate, reflective moments, the record fused cinematic simplicity with emotionally direct, highly accessible composition — welcoming listeners into Ffrench’s atmospheric world.
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One of the most exciting artists in contemporary instrumental music, Alexis Ffrench has played a pivotal role in bringing the genre to an ever-widening audience. His accolades speak for themselves: well over one billion streams across his catalogue, multiple No. 1 albums, and Gold-selling status in the US for “Bluebird.”
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Whether performing at the King’s Coronation Concert to an audience of over 18 million, winning an ARIA Award for his Apple Music show Classical Connections, hosting Classic FM’s “Music to Live By”, appearing at major festivals and selling out venues worldwide, leading masterclasses with schools and charitable organisations, or reimagining contemporary pop hits for his growing social media audience, Ffrench is driven by a singular mission: to make music accessible to all.
Refusing to be penned in by genre, time period, or expectation, he doesn’t lean into a traditional definition of “classical” — he leans outward. With an expansive perspective and a mosaic of influences, Ffrench takes listeners by the hand and leads them into a world of possibility.
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With 24 offering a timeless, enchanting journey through the many possibilities held inside one singular day, the album marks Ffrench’s first studio release since 2024’s Classical Soul Vol. 1 — and welcomes a contemplative new dawn for one of contemporary classical music’s true forerunners.
Listen and pre-save the album here,
For further information on the artist, please visit the following links:
Photo by Alex Lake provided courtesy of Jensen PR
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