Australian singer-songwriter Troye Sivan is shifting gears
Australian singer-songwriter Troye Sivan is shifting gears. After a career-defining year marked by chart-topping hits, Grammy nominations, and a sold-out arena tour, the 31-year-old artist is embracing a different emotional register on his fourth studio album, She's the Best, released October 9, 2026.
The new 12-track record, which features a guest appearance from Lily-Rose Depp on "Lost Time," represents a departure from the euphoric energy that defined Sivan's previous work. While 2023's Something to Give Each Other became his first number-one album on the ARIA Charts in Australia and topped the US Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart, the South African-born artist says the new material reflects a more complete picture of his life at the close of his twenties.
"It was a thrilling moment in my career, but it also didn't paint a full picture of what I was going through," Sivan told NPR Music reporter Isabella Gomez Sarmiento. The album gives him space to explore darker feelings that coexisted with his public successes.
From viral hits to critical acclaim
The past two years have been transformative for Sivan. Singles "Rush" and "Got Me Started" from Something to Give Each Other became viral sensations, driven by their choreo-heavy performances. "Rush" earned two Grammy nominations at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Pop Dance Recording and Best Music Video, marking Sivan's first recognition from the Recording Academy. "Got Me Started" followed with a nomination for Best Dance Pop Recording at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.
The cultural impact extended beyond music charts. On November 11, 2023, during Season 49 of Saturday Night Live, Timothée Chalamet and boygenius performed a sketch parodying Sivan's "Got Me Started" choreography. The sketch featured Sarah Sherman's character experiencing sleep paralysis visions of the dancing pop star, with Chalamet humorously dubbing Sivan a "moisturised Machine Gun Kelly" while recreating the moves in red underwear. Sivan later changed his Instagram profile picture to a screenshot of Chalamet's portrayal, embracing the cultural moment.
At the 2024 ARIA Music Awards, Something to Give Each Other swept major categories, winning Album of the Year, Best Pop Release, and Best Solo Artist.
The Sweat tour and 'Brat summer'
Following the album's success, Sivan embarked on the Sweat tour with longtime collaborator Charli xcx. The 21-date North American leg ran from September 14 through October 23, 2024, spanning cities across the US and Canada. The tour coincided with the cultural phenomenon of "Brat summer," sparked by Charli xcx's album Brat, released June 7, 2024.
The pairing reunited two artists who first collaborated on the 2018 track "1999" and its 2019 follow-up "2099," showcasing a friendship and creative partnership that has evolved over years.
Making an 'unsexy' album
In conversation with NPR Music, Sivan discussed his intention to move away from polished pop perfection with She's the Best. The album title honors the women in his life while the music itself leans into themes of loneliness and introspection.
"I wanted to make an 'unsexy' album that reflects my true feelings," Sivan explained, describing the project as a necessary counterbalance to the public celebration and physical expression that characterized his recent work.
The podcast interview, produced by Noah Caldwell and edited by Hazel Cills, explores Sivan's creative process and the emotional terrain of an artist processing both triumph and vulnerability as he enters a new decade of life and work.
