As time winds down towards the release of their new album Princess Forever, Chicago visionary Dreamer Isioma shared two new tracks from the project to equal praise. The pair of songs continue to build the dreamscape that hosts the album, a dynamic work that aims to surpass any bounds previously placed on Dreamer. “Love and Rage” considers both themes suggested in its title, oscillating between affection and frustration: “Running at the speed of light backwards / Hoping I can spend more time with you,” they open, before later deteriorating into a justified diatribe. “A girl is a God, not a sedative / All of you men need to protect them, dawg,” they spew, a critique as much as it is a challenge. They continue, “Fuck social status, I never applaud / …Fuck do you know about me through a screen.” Even through their distorted vocals, you get the message. The track finds a balance between emotions, aided by the even-tempered beat that stabilizes Dreamer through their highs and lows. Most identifiably pulling from pop and R&B, this track offers only a sample of what is to be an album fraught with influences from genres in every corner of music.

Though “Love and Rage” and “Touch Your Soul” are paired together in their release, this does not imply companionship between the songs. While they are complementary, their genesis differs, as “Touch Your Soul” pulls Dreamer’s identity into focus rather than their emotions. To best represent themselves, they incorporate Dreamer’s Nigerian roots, two fold. First is their dive into afro-beats, aided by producer Saint Lewis, with Dreamer naturally catering their performance to their native environment. To double down on the track’s authenticity, they recruited BROCKHAMPTON's Merlyn Wood to complete the vision. Dreamer’s tastemaking is on full display as they cater to their guests, sonically and thematically. If their influences were at all opaque, everything comes into frame when you press play on the music video for “Touch Your Soul.” The first image we see is Dreamer waving the Nigerian flag, an army of dancers surrounding them, ready to take on their every command. As the video unfolds, it is revealed that Dreamer is assembling a team to carry out a mission, one that is outlined rather boldly for viewers: “Find Tha Truth” they write on a whiteboard in front of the troops, spelling out a 3 phase plan to achieve this goal. As the video comes to a close, a single question is posed: “What is freedom in this universe?” Though we may not know what it looks like, we are sure to discover what freedom sounds like on Princess Forever, arriving April 21. Dreamer will begin a headlining tour on May 10th, bringing the intricate and intimate world crafted in their music to fans across the country.

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