Be Here Soon (iamamiwhoami album)

Be Here Soon
Studio album by
Released3 June 2022
Studio
  • TWIMC studios, Sweden
  • INGRID Studios, Stockholm, Sweden
Genre
Length41:01
LabelTo whom it may concern.
ProducerClaes Björklund, ionnalee
Iamamiwhoami chronology
Kronologi
(2020)
Be Here Soon
(2022)
Singles from Be Here Soon
  1. "Changes"
    Released: April 28, 2022[1]

Be Here Soon is the fourth studio album by Swedish audiovisual project iamamiwhoami, consisting of singer and songwriter Jonna Lee and record producer Claes Björklund. It was released on 3 June 2022 on Lee's label To whom it may concern.[2] It is the first studio album from the project in eight years.

The album took a more folk-inspired direction than previous projects from the group, returning to Lee's roots as a solo artist.[3] The album's visuals contain themes such as Lee's struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as her pregnancy.[4]

Release

[edit]

The visual album was announced by Lee through social media on 31 March 2022.[5] The album's first chapter and lead single "Don't Wait for Me" was released on the same day, with each subsequent chapter being released weekly. The announcement was largely a surprise, with no previous information from any of the crew hinting towards another iamamiwhoami album.

The release date of the album was chosen before Lee knew she was pregnant, and the release date coincidentally aligned with her due date. Lee's baby was born on 25 May 2022; Be Here Soon came out in digital format on June 3.[6]

Physical editions of Be Here Soon were released in limited CD+DVD and 12-inch vinyl LP formats, as well as a CD, DVD and LP collectors bundle with exclusive items available exclusively on To whom it may concern.'s website, originally slated for a September 2022 release.[7]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
GAFFA.dk[8]
GAFFA.se[9]
Higher Plain Music8.5/10[10]
Jenesaispop[11]
Mojo[12]

Be Here Soon received generally positive reviews. Simon Heggum of Gaffa Denmark was particularly enthusiastic, naming the album a "folktronic masterpiece" containing Lee's "strongest vocal performance to date".[8]

Tour background

[edit]

Following the album's release, Lee announced the first leg of a world tour on her social media; the tour started in Amsterdam on 26 February 2023 and continued on in the United States and Canada throughout April and May 2023.[13] iamamiwhoami performed with a full band for the first time in ten years and a few special guests such as Imogen Heap joined Lee on stage on specific dates.[14]

Tour dates

[edit]
Date City Country Venue Opening act Special guest
26 February 2023 Amsterdam Netherlands Paradiso Noord Mavica
2 March 2023 London United Kingdom EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney) Mavica
Jenny Wilson
Imogen Heap
Tove Skeidsvoll
8 March 2023 Berlin Germany Club Gretchen Jenny Wilson
12 April 2023 Philadelphia United States The Foundry Luminous Kid
14 April 2023 Brooklyn Elsewhere
16 April 2023 Boston Paradise Rock Club
18 April 2023 Montreal Canada Théâtre Fairmount Luminous Kid
Tess Roby
19 April 2023 Toronto Opera House
21 April 2023 Chicago United States Metro Luminous Kid
24 April 2023 Minneapolis Fine Line
26 April 2023 Denver Marquis Theater
29 April 2023 Los Angeles Fonda Theatre Zola Jesus
TR/ST
2 May 2023 San Francisco Great American Music Hall Vander Von Odd
4 May 2023 Portland Wonder Ballroom
5 May 2023 Seattle The Showbox
7 May 2023 Vancouver Canada The Hollywood
16 August 2023 Vadstena Sweden Shakespearefabriken Jenny Wilson Zola Jesus
17 August 2023
18 August 2023
7 December 2023 São Paulo Brazil Carioca Club N/A
9 December 2023 Rio de Janeiro Brazil Sacadura 154

Cancelled shows

[edit]
List of cancelled concerts
Date City Country Venue Reason
27 February 2023 Glasgow United Kingdom SWG3 Studio Logistic reasons[15]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Jonna Lee and Claes Björklund

No.TitleLength
1."Don't Wait for Me"3:17
2."Canyon" (featuring Lars Winnerbäck)4:05
3."Zeven"3:36
4."I Tenacious"3:09
5."Changes"4:18
6."Flying or Falling"3:44
7."A Thousand Years"5:09
8."Thunder Lightning"5:04
9."Call My Name"3:49
10."Walking on Air"4:50
Total length:41:01

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Murray, Robin (April 28, 2022). "iamamiwhoami Returns to Her Core Influences for "Changes"". Clash. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  2. ^ Murray, Robin (31 March 2022). "iamamiwhoami Announces New Album 'Be Here Soon'". Clash. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  3. ^ "In Conversation: iamamiwhoami Interviewed". ClashMusic. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  4. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (31 March 2022). "iamamiwhoami announces new audiovisual album with lead single 'Don't Wait for Me'". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  5. ^ Jonna Lee [@ionnalee] (31 March 2022). "overjoyed to announce our latest project: iamamiwhoami; Be Here Soon (audiovisual album) due june 3" (Tweet). Retrieved 28 April 2022 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ Sawdey, Evan (8 June 2022). "Time is Iamamiwhoami's Worst Enemy and Best Friend on Be Here Soon". PopMatters. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  7. ^ "iamamiwhoami - Be Here Soon". To whom it may concern. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  8. ^ a b Heggum, Simon (June 15, 2022). "iamamiwhoami: ANMELDELSE: Folktronisk mesterværk fra svensk pops skjulte stjerner". Gaffa.dk. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  9. ^ Ankersen, Frederik (August 31, 2022). "Be Here Soon: "Ett hyperintimt självutlämnande"". Gaffa.se. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  10. ^ Smith, Simon (1 September 2022). "iamamiwhoami – Be Here Soon Review". Higher Plain Music. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  11. ^ Bardají, Jordi (24 June 2022). "Critica de Be Here Soon, 4° album de iamamiwhoami". Jenesaispop. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Iamamiwhoami - Be Here Soon". Mojo. July 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  13. ^ Jonna Lee [@ionnalee] (3 June 2022). "announcing the first dates of the Be Here Soon 2023 world tour. calling at Europe, the US, and Canada. tickets on sale june 10 at http://iamamiwhoami.se can't wait to come out to play again and to see you after all this time 🤍 more dates to come. let me know where you are at" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 March 2023 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ Imogen Heap [@imogenheap] (10 March 2023). "Loved meeting you in person finally @ionnalee. Was magic to be both on and off stage with you and also as a new mum, giving your all to everyone, fan, friends and family alike. Inspiring brilliant woman. Thanks for having it so close to my home too at EartH Hackney!" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 March 2023 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ Jonna Lee [@ionnalee] (27 February 2023). "was on a high from last nights show in amsterdam but am now devasted as we're stuck in an airport, unable to make it in time for our show in glasgow tonight. i'm so sorry to everyone who was coming out to see us tonight. breaks my heart. we are working on a replacing show. xx" (Tweet). Retrieved 19 March 2023 – via Twitter.