Wigan's Richard Ashcroft releases new music for the first time in seven years

The Verve frontman shared his new single Lover which was played for the first time by Vernon Kay on Radio Two.

The track represents his first new material since his 2018 album Natural Rebel debuted at number four on the UK Official Album Chart.

Since then, Richard also released the career-spanning Acoustic Hymns Vol 1 set, which hit number two and became his highest charting record in fifteen years.

The song was written by Richard and, for the first time since his recording of Bitter Sweet Symphony, incorporates elements of one of his favourite works: Love and Affection, written by Joan Armatrading. Joan was approached before recording and loved the arrangement. The track was produced by Richard and Emre Ramazanoglu.

Richard’s vision for an immersive project was realised with a mobile LED virtual production courtesy of CUBE StudioX.

It matched the emotion of Richard’s songwriting and performance by surrounding him with striking visuals displayed on an 18x4m led volume in a large studio space. The video was co-produced by Roy Kimani, CUBE Studio’s co-founder and Director of Innovation.

Lover is the first new music to emerge from Richard as he continues work on his new studio album and comes as he prepares to tour with Oasis.

The former Verve frontman will join Liam and Noel Gallagher on the UK and Ireland leg of tour this summer.

Ashcroft has been a long-time friend of both Gallaghers, his band The Verve having supported them in 1993, while Ashcroft as a solo act has acted as support for both Liam Gallagher and Noel’s High Flying Birds previously.

Noel also wrote the song Cast No Shadow on Oasis’s second album What’s the Story Morning Glory as a tribute to the Wigan-born star.

Both Noel and Richard Ashcroft also headlined three sold-out shows combined at Wigan’s Robin Park Arena last summer.

It was the first time Ashcroft had performed a headline show in the borough since The Verve played a gig at Haigh Hall in May 1998.