André 3000 has surprise-dropped a new project called 7 piano sketches. The seven-track instrumental record, released in conjunction with his piano-themed look at last night’s Met Gala, serves as the follow-up to his flute album New Blue Sun. Check it out below.
As André 3000 warned on Instagram, the project features “no bars.” He went on:
These piano sketches are improvisations. To conjure them up, I spread my fingers out on the keys and randomly but with purpose move them around until I find something that feels good or interesting. If it feels really good I will try to repeat it. I cannot name which notes, keys or chords that I’m playing. I simply like the sound and mechanics of piano playing. Some of my favorite piano music composers and players that inspire me are Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, Philip Glass, Stephen Sondheim, Joni Mitchell and Vince Guaraldi.
These piano pieces weren’t recorded with the intention of presenting them in any formal way to the public. They were personal, at home recordings. I would sometimes text them to my family and friends.
Pardon the sound quality, they were all recorded with my iPhone sitting directly on the piano or my laptop microphone with the exception of “Blueberries.” (recorded in studio)
Most of these were recorded in Texas. The house my son and I were renting had no furniture at all. Only a piano, our beds and tv screens.
This collection of songs was recorded almost a decade before New Blue Sun. The original title for it was The Best Worst Rap Album In History and here is an excerpt from the original liner notes.
“It’s jokingly the worst rap album in history because there are no lyrics on it at all. It’s the best because it’s the free-est emotionally and best I’ve felt personally. It’s the best because it’s like a palette cleanser for me.”
At the 2025 Met Gala, André 3000 wore a bespoke piano by Burberry on his back The outfit, which mirrors 7 piano sketches‘ cover art, was made in collaboration with benji bixby and styled by Law Roach.
Last year, a documentary about the making of 2023’s New Blue Sun was released, featuring a previously unreleased track from the album’s recording sessions. André 3000 also appeared on songs by the likes of Kamasi Washington and Shabaka.
View this post on Instagram
