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Next Friday, November 21st, Tobias Jesso Jr. will release a new album called s h i n e. It is his second solo record, arriving more than 10 years after his 2015 debut, Goon. Since then, he won the first-ever GRAMMY® Award for Songwriter Of The Year in 2023, in addition to Album Of The Year for Harry’s House. He is nominated for Songwriter Of The Year again at the 2026 GRAMMYS®, as well as Album Of The Year for SWAG. You have heard his songwriting on hits by Adele, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles and many others.
In 2025 alone, he has worked with Bon Iver, Dijon, HAIM, Justin Bieber, Maren Morris, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Dean and more. But mostly, he has spent the past decade working on himself.
There were many things Tobias Jesso Jr. wasn't ready for in 2015. The attention, the performances, the added production and lack of control over his music. So this time, it is all him.
The album cover is a fingerprint, and that is what s h i n e delivers: unmediated Tobias.
He has not performed publicly since Goon. He abandoned the stage and spotlight, and devoted his time to songwriting for others. But he recorded s h i n e completely live, sitting at the piano, alone in his house. Finally feeling comfortable.
The first song, "I Love You," is out today. In the video, he plays it just like he recorded it, and is joined by two friends, Riley Keough and Dakota Johnson. The latter of whom let Tobias live on her couch when he first moved to Los Angeles and was trying to make it as a musician. Then, an unfortunate turn of events led him to return home to Vancouver, teach himself piano, and make the album that set him on a path to becoming one of the most in-demand songwriters of his generation, and simultaneously destroyed his confidence and wellbeing.
That was Goon. This is s h i n e.
Listen to "I Love You"
watch the video
via R&R
s h i n e was produced by Tobias Jesso Jr. It was mixed by Shawn Everett. The eight songs are about himself, his mom, his son, a breakup and his life at this moment in time, with some help from Danielle Haim, Eli Teplin, Julian Bunetta, Justin Vernon, Rosie Hamilton, Tommy King and a psychic.
They were written during a six-week sabbatical he took earlier this year, but are the culmination of everything he has built towards for the past decade. 10 years is awhile, but it is the amount of time it can sometimes take in order to fully embrace yourself, your mistakes and your imperfections. Tobias Jesso Jr. will have more to share soon.
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