Sam Fender Releases War On Drugs-Produced Single ‘People Watching’

The long wait is over: Sam Fender has shared his first taste of new music in two years with comeback single “People Watching.” The song is the first to be released from his third album People Watching, which he announced earlier this week will drop on Feb. 21 via Polydor Records. 

Fender released his second album, Seventeen Going Under, in 2021, which saw him top the U.K. Official Album Charts and headline his biggest ever gigs, including a 40,000-capacity show at London’s Finsbury Park. Earlier in 2024, the Newcastle-born artist collaborated with folk-pop crossover star Noah Kahan on joint single “Homesick.”

The new song is described in a press release as “written for his late friend and mentor, Annie Orwin,” and is based on Fender’s “thoughts as he traveled to and from her palliative care home.” The song was produced with The War On Drugs’ Adam Granduciel. You can listen to it below.

Earlier this week on his Instagram, Fender opened up about the upcoming LP and the inspiration. “It’s kind of ironic because she [Orwin] was the one that gave me the confidence to go on stage… now an entire song (and album) connects to her,” he wrote.

Sharing the artwork, he added: “Me and the band have picked away at these songs for the last couple of years, we recorded so much material in that time and deliberated long and hard over what came next. We settled on this collection for our next outing. Special thanks to Dean and Joe who have been with me every step of the way, they are incredible producers in their own right and I’m eternally proud and grateful for them both. The band has really evolved in this time, I’m a lucky f–ker to be surrounded by such a talented bunch.”

In December, Fender will kick off his first full U.K and Ireland tour, beginning on Dec.2 in Dublin, Ireland, followed by arena shows in London, Manchester, Birmingham and more. A wider European tour will take place in 2025 with dates set to be announced in North America and beyond.