Forever Neverland

''Forever Neverland'' is the second studio album by Danish singer and songwriter MØ. It was released on 19 October 2018 via Chess Club Records, RCA Victor, and Columbia Records. It is her first full-length release since her debut studio album '' No Mythologies to Follow'' (2014), and comes after her second EP '' When I Was Young'' (2017). The album was preceded by four singles: " Sun in Our Eyes" with Diplo, "Way Down", "Imaginary Friend" and "Blur". The album also features collaborations with Charli XCX, What So Not, Two Feet and Empress Of.

The album received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its bold pop production, introspective themes, and MØ's effort to define her artistic identity beyond her previous collaborations. Some reviewers found the production occasionally oversaturated, though others highlighted its consistency and personal tone. ''Forever Neverland'' debuted at number one on the Danish Albums Chart and appeared on several year-end best album lists, including those by '' Mother Jones'' and '' Idolator''.

Background

A year after the release of her debut album, '' No Mythologies to Follow'' (2014), MØ announced that she is working on her new album. On 15 October 2015, MØ released her single "Kamikaze" and it has reached the top 40 in Belgium and Denmark. On 13 May 2016, she released " Final Song", originally intended for her second album. "Final Song" reached the top 5 in Denmark, the top 20 in Australia, Norway, and the United Kingdom, and the top 100 in Canada and Sweden. Later she worked with Sophie, Benny Blanco and Cashmere Cat on " Nights with You", the planned fourth single of the album, which premiered on MistaJam's BBC Radio 1. It was released on 21 April 2017. On 1 January 2018, MØ explained in an interview how her life has been changed after gaining international recognition for her collaboration with Major Lazer and DJ Snake on " Lean On".

Later she once again collaborated with Major Lazer for " Cold Water", also featuring Canadian singer Justin Bieber. She also said that her EP '' When I Was Young'' is her first major release following the success of both Major Lazer's "Lean On" and "Cold Water". She admitted that the "new tracks might not be what new fans might expect following those two features and the others she's done since 2015, but that might not be such a bad thing". She has been working for four years on her new album, because after the success of "Lean On" and "Cold Water", MØ thought that she "needed to put out a little compilation of songs that he hasdone over the years that have felt very personal to er, before going into that second album phase.

The 17-track ''Forever Neverland'' sees MØ collaborating with both past and new artists, including Diplo, Charli XCX, Empress Of, Two Feet, and What So Not. "One of the many reasons I love working with him iplois because I always feel like it's a free and creative process and I always like the end product," MØ remarked in a press statement. During the album's production, MØ noted that she frequently listened to other female solo artists for inspiration, including Tove Lo, Lana Del Rey, Santigold, and Tove Styrke, whose work she cited as influential in shaping the sound and direction of ''Forever Neverland.''

Composition

Reviews describe ''Forever Neverland'' as a blend of energetic and emotive pop, combining pulsating Scandipop with uplifting Balearic influences. Writing for '' Dork'', a reviewer described ''Forever Neverland'' as a "sublime pop album", highlighting that "skipping vacuous notions of perfection to present herself as the real deal" was perhaps its most subversive and interesting quality. Tracks like "Way Down" and "Nostalgia" feature tribal percussion and MØ's raw vocal style, creating lively and intense songs. "Blur" stands out for its combination of a guitar melody reminiscent of the Pixies and dynamic electronic production, while " Sun in Our Eyes" and the trip-hop influenced "Purple Like the Summer Rain" bring more melancholic tones. Although some tracks such as "Beautiful Wreck" and the EDM-inspired elements may feel formulaic or less engaging, the album maintains variety with moments like the Charli XCX collaboration on "If It's Over" and the reggae-influenced "Red Wine". Some tracks, such as the R&B-inspired "I Want You," received more mixed responses, being seen as less distinctive.

Compared to the more concise '' When I Was Young'' EP, ''Forever Neverland'' reflects a broad spectrum of recent pop trends combined with dense, detailed production. However, this density sometimes overshadows a distinct personality or voice, with lyrics that can feel somewhat generic and production that leans heavily on loudness and repeated climaxes. MØ has noted that nostalgia is a key theme throughout the album, inspired by reflecting on her past experiences during a period of extensive touring away from home. This retrospective perspective shaped much of her songwriting on the record.

Title

The album's title, ''Forever Neverland'', was inspired by the story of Peter Pan and reflects themes of escapism and the tension between fantasy and reality. ''Nylon'' described it as symbolic of the darker side of refusing to grow up and face responsibility, noting that MØ uses the title ironically to highlight the dangers of retreating into a comforting illusion.

Release and promotion

On 12 July 2018, MØ teased her second album with the release of her new single " Sun in Our Eyes". On 7 September, she revealed the album's cover and that the album will be released on 19 October 2018, through Chess Club Records, RCA Victor, and Columbia Records. She also revealed that the other singles "Kamikaze", " Final Song" and " Nights with You" will only be available in the Japanese edition.

Singles

On 28 March 2018, the singer released the single "Nostalgia" for streaming and digital download. MØ released the official vertical music video on 3 May 2018 via YouTube. The song was included on the album.

On 12 July 2018, " Sun in Our Eyes" was released as the album's lead single. The song peaked at number 17 on the Flemish Ultratop chart and at number 29 on New Zealand's Hot 40 Singles. The music video was released on 8 August 2018 on YouTube. On 7 September 2018, "Way Down" was released as the album's second single. On 21 September 2018, "Imaginary Friend" was released as the album's third single. The official music video was released on the same day. "Blur" was released on 14 October 2018 as the album's fourth single.

Tour

MØ announced a tour in support of ''Forever Neverland'', which began with a show in Hamburg on 9 November 2018. The North American leg started on 15 January 2019, in Washington, D.C., and concluded on February 9 in San Francisco, California. Tickets went on sale on 26 April 2018. The tour launched with support from Abra, while Mykki Blanco joined as the supporting act for the West Coast leg.

Cancelled shows

Critical reception

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 69, based on 13 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Writing for ''Pitchfork'', Dani Blum summarised that most of the tracks on ''Forever Neverland'' are too "oversaturated and exhausting" with only occasional moments of "real shimmer". Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, saying, "''Forever Neverland'' contains enough catchy moments to warrant a listen, but mostly remains fodder for de rigueur 2010s alt-pop playlists." Will Richards of '' DIY'' said, "there's nothing of the size or scale of " Lean On", but in unapologetically treading her own path, MØ's beginning to carve a new identity all of her own." Harriet Willis of '' The Skinny'' called it "a masterpiece that puts MØ firmly on her own pedestal as an individual artist rather than a recurring feature." Malvika Padin of '' Clash'' commented that "while tracks like "Beautiful Wreck" - springy, satisfying and by no means a misfit within this gripping offering - seems quite bland in comparison to the rest which boasts a bold sound, the album remains fascinating, never misses a beat and keeps you listening through to the end." Jamie MacMillan of '' Dork'' gave ''Forever Neverland'' a 5 out of 5 rating, praising its emotional vulnerability and describing it as "painfully honest at times", noting that MØ shows no hesitation in leaving herself emotionally exposed. ''The Times'' called the album one that "will vie for the title of best pop record of the year" alongside '' Sway'' by Tove Styrke and Camila Cabello's solo debut, reaffirming MØ's place as a leading pop innovator.

Sam Van Pykeren of '' Mother Jones'' named it the 6th best album of 2018. Mike Wass of '' Idolator'' placed it at number 8 on the "25 Best Albums of 2018" list. ''Billboard'' included it on the "20 Best Album Covers of 2018" list.

Track listing

Notes

* signifies a vocal producer.
* signifies an executive producer.
* All album vocal production work was handled by Erik Eger, Andy Steinway and Dillon Zachara, except where noted.

Charts

Certifications

Notes

References

{{Authority control

2018 albums
MØ albums
Columbia Records albums
Albums produced by Frank Dukes
Albums produced by Diplo
Albums produced by John Hill (record producer)
Albums produced by Stargate
Albums produced by Hudson Mohawke
Albums produced by Illangelo
Albums produced by MNEK
Albums produced by Benny Blanco
Albums produced by Cashmere Cat