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Eddie Chacon is back, and he’s bringing soul-searching R&B with his new single, “Empire,” featuring long-time collaborator John Carroll Kirby. The track serves as a taste of his upcoming album, “Lay Low,” set for release on January 31, 2025, through Stones Throw Records. Produced by Nick Hakim, this marks Chacon’s second album with the iconic label and promises to delve into the deep, introspective style he’s been refining for years.

Chacon, one half of the iconic ’90s duo Charles & Eddie, is marking 30 years since their success with a mature, reflective approach that feels like a bridge between past and present. “Empire,” accompanied by a moody music video directed by Bing Cao, serves as the transitional link between the soundscapes of his 2023 release, Sundown, and the lush, atmospheric textures awaiting fans on Lay Low. Speaking on the theme of the single, Chacon explains, “It’s about how we are sometimes more fragile than we realize. We think our choices and even our tiny actions won’t catch up with us… It’s about facing the damage that’s been done once it’s too late to save.” The poignant lyric, “everything we have is like an empire that we built upon the sand,” echoes the song’s message of impermanence and introspection.

Lay Low is Chacon’s most personal work yet, confronting a decade-long grief—his mother Patricia’s passing. “At first, I was rusty, apprehensive. John was my security blanket. He mined the gold in me,” Chacon reflects, explaining his decision to step out of his comfort zone by working with Hakim instead of Kirby, his trusted creative partner for two previous albums. “The time felt right to leave the nest,” he adds, signaling a shift in his artistic journey.

Recorded over two years in Hakim’s Brooklyn studio, Lay Low features a fusion of rich, hazy instrumentals that juxtapose the album’s weighty themes with an undeniable sensuality. Chacon reveals, “I wanted the mood to be hazy & sensual. There’s darkness, but there’s light to be found if you search for it.” With Hakim’s production lending an intuitive, dreamy backdrop, Chacon has crafted a sonic space that feels both vulnerable and hopeful—a meditation on love, loss, and the search for meaning.

As Chacon steps into this new chapter, Lay Low promises to be a standout release for 2025, another milestone in the career of an artist who continues to evolve and redefine his place in the landscape of modern R&B.

Eddie Chacon Set for UK Headline Tour This Fall: See the Dates

Eddie Chacon is bringing his soulful, introspective R&B to the UK this October and November on a headline tour that promises intimate, evocative performances across the country.

29 October – Birmingham – The Hare & The Hound

30 October – Bristol – Strange Brew

31 October – Manchester – YESPinkRoom

5 November – Glasgow – Stereo

6 November – Liverpool – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

7 November – Gateshead – The Glass House

9 November – Leeds – Belgrave Music Hall

11 November – London – Jazz Cafe

12 November – Brighton – Alphabet

Photo: DeMarquis McDaniels