Irish sing-songwriter Foy vanca releases his 7th studio album ‘the wake’, alongside a short documentary ‘sketches of the wake’ showcasing his creative work process.

Today, Northern Ireland-born and Scotland-based, Emmy Award-winning singer-songwriter Foy Vance released his album The Wake via Rounder Records. This chapter marks the completion of a 26-year journey defined by tireless soul-searching and life-altering revelation. The path began in 1999, after the unexpected passing of his father, a traveling preacher who moved their family to the American South. In the midst of grief – and a sudden, clarifying sense of purpose – he committed to make seven albums, each one shaped by the impact of that loss.

He has carried one of his father’s favourite sayings - “Give me the boy until he is 7, and I will show you the man” - like a compass ever since. “After my dad died everything lined up and I knew I was meant to make seven records akin to those seven years, and that each record would represent a stage of my growth as an artist and a songwriter,” says Vance. “I figured that making seven albums would be the making of me.” Now, with his seventh release on the horizon, he’s arriving at the end of that long-imagined arc. Produced by Ethan Johns (the Brit Award–winning producer known for his work with Paul McCartney, Ray LaMontagne, and more), The Wake brings Vance’s gritty vocal work to a potent convergence of folk, soul, and Southern blues, instilling every moment with unbridled vitality. At turns devastating, ecstatic and wildly illuminating, The Wake carries a title that reflects both sorrow and the promise of healing, and reveals an artist highly attuned to the task of preserving the human spirit in an often-unforgiving world.

earlier this year, Vance shared one of the most introspective tracks on the album, “Hi, I’m The Preacher’s Son.” An autobiographical track that began as a riff composed on his 50th birthday, the song later unfolded in a weary, tender meditation on the parts of ourselves that never change.

Listen here + watch the official visualiser here

stream The Wake here

“Hi, I’m The Preacher’s Son” builds on Vance’s 2025 pre-release tracks, expanding the album’s ongoing exploration of humanity, faith, and grief. “I Think I Preferred The Question” wrestles with imposed belief, “A.I.” – the album’s lead track – is a wild nine-minute outcry on AI’s rise and the messy, irreplaceable humanity we all carry, and “Call Me Anytime” is a heartfelt reflection on the layers and multitudes of fatherhood.

Vance – a songwriter, painter and filmmaker – poured his relentless creativity into a series of visual works to accompany the album and each of the tracks, transforming the project into a testament to artistic expression. On Tuesday (20th Jan), he’ll share a documentary of the album’s genesis and creative process titled “Sketches of The Wake.” Filmed and edited by his longtime collaborator Babysweet (Gregg Houston), the 21-minute film illustrates Vance’s work in the studio with Johns and dives deeper into this collection’s personal meaning.