“‘What A Devastating Turn of Events’ has allowed Chinouriri to flex her creativity… It’s as though Chinouriri is finally at peace with herself, looking into the future and ready for what’s to come.”
- NME

“the mark of a true indie star in the making… huge things surely await.” - Rolling Stone UK

“…one of the warmest, fully enveloping pop introductions in recent memory”
- BILLBOARD

“Chinouriri’s glowing voice and wistful lyrics create a sonically boundless landscape”
- CONSEQUENCE

“…honest lyrics and enchanting vocals” - NYLON

“If you’ve ever had a secret crush, obsessed or felt utter despair over someone, Chinouriri’s direct way of discussing love and loss will resonate with you” - THE OBSERVER

“...listeners are in for a treat” - TIME

APRIL 19, 2024 - Hotly tipped alternative indie pop artist Rachel Chinouriri today shares her new single “It Is What It Is,” the final preview of her long-awaited debut album What A Devastating Turn Of Events, out May 3rd via Elektra.

“It Is What It Is” channels Rachel’s frustrations about being messed around by a potential partner, featuring exasperated spoken word verses and voice notes from friends reminding her to know her worth. The release comes complete with a brand new visualizer and follows the album’s previous singles “What A Devastating Turn Of Events,” “Never Need Me” (with a video starring Florence Pugh) and “The Hills.”

About “It Is What It Is” Rachel shares: “Well, I was definitely in a petty mood. It’s interesting because humans are full of flaws and I have the privilege of going through therapy, which has massively helped me with my self development journey. However, there are those moments where you want to be so petty because someone’s done you wrong. I’ve learned I’m responsible for how I allow men to treat me because they feel I’m worthless enough to be treated that way and it’s a big F U to them as I’ve not discovered how much I deserve. I just feel annoyed I never got to say what I wanted and that’s fine… I have this song instead and it is what it is :)”

Following a triumphant sold out headline show at London’s KOKO and sold out debut headline shows in the US in New York and LA last month, Rachel will head back on the road from beginning April 30th for a run of UK and European dates in celebration of the release of What A Devastating Turn Of Events. See below for the full list of dates.

What A Devastating Turn Of Events has already racked up critical praise ahead of its release, with TIMEnaming the record one of their “Most Anticipated Albums of 2024” and promising “listeners are in for a treat.” Just last month, the artist was featured as The Cut's “It Girl” and recently appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone UK and NME.

What A Devastating Turn Of Events is a culmination of the experiences, challenges and joys of Chinouriri’s life so far, explored through the prism of musical stylings honed through years of experimentation and creation. Ever-eclectic and brutally honest, the album traverses life’s light and shade, the writing and sharing a healing process for Rachel, and she hopes, her listeners.

What A Devastating Turn Of Events - OUT MAY 3RD - TRACKLISTING

1. Garden Of Eden
2. The Hills
3. Never Need Me
4. My Everything
5. All I Ever Asked
6. It Is What It Is
7. Dumb Bitch Juice
8. What A Devastating Turn Of Events
9. My Blood
10. Robbed
11. Cold Call
12. I Hate Myself
13. Pocket
14. So My Darling

On What A Devastating Turn of Events, Rachel Chinouriri is unflinching and mesmerizing as she invites us into her world and the experiences that have shaped her to become the person she is today. Despite facing up to the darkest parts of herself and her life - relationships, loneliness, regret, abuse, unconditional freedom, self harm, alcohol abuse and ultimately, death - Rachel asks us to consider the beauty amongst it all too.

The record examines the thoughts that had been swirling around her head: there are more long-standing themes of love, self-deprecation, unworthy exes and finding her boundaries in the album’s first half, but then in the second half, things get heavier.

“It’s a turning point,” she says, “Each song represents how you deal with trauma, but on the second half it’s when you get bad news and your world turns upside down.” This is an album which deals with grief, heartache, hurt, and what she calls the “worst-case scenarios” when these things are left unspoken for too long.

“I’m a lot better now,” she smiles, “And all of these topics don’t hurt me anymore, to a degree, but they shaped me and made me the person I am. When these things happen, you will never be the person you were before then, you adapt; and I think this album reflects that. It’s a healing tool, and I’m hoping people listening to it might feel less alone.”

In the process of learning to collaborate with other writers and producers in the creation of her debut album, Rachel was able to create the sonic world that she’d long been searching for. From soft acoustics to shiny indie pop to roaring scuzz, there’s her mellifluous vocal, the sumptuous harmonies, and even occasional bouts of cheeky, chatty speak-singing à la Kate Nash and Lily Allen, through which she builds upon her penchant for candid, lyrical songwriting.

What A Devastating Turn Of Events’ expansive palette was fleshed out with executive producer Rich Turvey (Blossoms, The Courteeners, The Coral), and co-credits include hip-hop behemoth Kenny Beats, and writers like Aaron “Apob” Paul O’Brien, Glen Roberts, Mary Weitz, and her long-term collaborator Daniel Hylton-Nuamah.