Childish Gambino has returned with new music for the first time in three years.
To coincide with the release of his new Amazon Prime Video series Swarm, Donald Glover is back as Gambino with original music for the show.
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Released on Friday (March 17) along with the show’s first season, the Swarm EP consists of five tracks from Childish Gambino and singer KIRBY, who voices a fictional artist named Ni’jah.
Gambino is credited as a featured artist and co-producer on “Sticky” — which was first previewed in teaser trailers for the series — along with the producer of the opening track “Something Like That.”
Childish Gambino’s last album 3.15.20 was released on RCA Records in March 2020.
Donald Glover once claimed he was retiring the Gambino name, telling fans at Governors Ball Music Festival in 2017: “I’ll see you for the last Gambino album.”
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He later explained his decision to The Huffington Post, detailing why he felt his time as Childish Gambino had come to an end.
“There’s nothing worse than like a third sequel, like a third movie and we’re like, ‘again?’” he said. “You know, I like it when something’s good and when it comes back there’s a reason to come back, there’s a reason to do that.”
He continued: “Like, I feel like there’s gotta be a reason to do things and I always had a reason to be punk. Being punk just always felt really good to me and we always looked at Atlanta as a punk show and I feel like the direction I would go with Childish Gambino wouldn’t be punk anymore.”
During an interview with E! News at the Golden Globes in January, however, Donald Glover confirmed that Childish Gambino was back and recording new music.
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“I’m making music right now,” he said. “I love it. I’m actually working. I’m in the studio. I’ve been, like, bringing people in — like secret people. Like, working on little things. But I’ve just been, like, making it for fun for right now. But soon, something will happen I promise. Something will happen.”
Described as “a sister to Atlanta,” Swarm follows a young woman named Dre whose obsession with a pop star takes a dark turn. Dominique Fishback stars in the lead role, with co-stars including Damson Idris, Chloe Bailey, Billie Eilish and Paris Jackson.
