Royal & the Serpent Announces 'Emptiness Is Godly' Album

Official Announcement | Published: Feb 20, 2026 3:26 PM EST

(Atlantic) Royal & the Serpent turns the page on another chapter, announcing her anxiously awaited debut album, Emptiness is Godly, arriving May 8, 2026 via Atlantic Records. The project is led by brand new double single "Favorite Person" and "Fiona," delivering a multi-sensory experience with cinematic visuals of "Favorite Person".

The record unspools an immersive conceptual narrative tied together across the soundscapes and lyrics. Listeners get the first taste of her vision with the irresistible, innovative, and impactful alternative conjurations of "Favorite Person" and "Fiona." By way of these songs, Royal & the Serpent beckons everyone into the embrace of a living, breathing, seething, and shimmering world of her own design through the eyes of a mysterious protagonist referred to only as "R." Regarding what to expect, Royal & the Serpent stated, "'Favorite Person' is a big reveal as we enter into the world of 'Emptiness is Godly'. This song is the underlying theme to our story. Main character 'R' finds herself entangled between two romances. Subject 'R' exhibits as follows (but not limited to): confusion, guilt, self-awareness, remorse." Elaborating on "Fiona," she continued, "'Fiona' is 'R''s experience of nostalgia. Subject 'R' exhibits as follows (but not limited to): yearning, benevolence, grief, hope."

Last we heard from Royal & the Serpent was in 2025 when she appeared at select dates of the sold-out Vans Warped Tour and dropped fan favorites "Young As This" and "Euphoria." Royal & the Serpent remains one of alternative music's most inimitable and irresistible outliers. She has impressively eclipsed 900 million global streams, nearing the 1 billion mark. Moreover, she has shared the stage with everyone from Fall Out Boy and Avril Lavigne to Demi Lovato and Bring Me The Horizon.