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And Finally Artist News Releases
Kanye West livestreams final recording sessions for Donda
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 5 August 2021
Ahead of his big listening party tonight, Kanye West is livestreaming himself finishing off his new ‘Donda’ album.
Holed up in his makeshift studio backstage at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, West has largely appeared masked with his back to the camera. However, he has been joined by various guests along the way so far, including Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa. Also, for a bit of variety, there was a whole section where he just exercised.
If you’re hoping for a sneaky early listen to ‘Donda’ though, don’t get your hopes up. The livestream is presented without audio. You just have to make do with the visuals, which are probably not going to be among the most riveting things you’ve ever watched. Presumably once West takes his place in the actual stadium part of the stadium later this evening to play the finished creation to a room full of fans the livestream will get some audio.
Assuming all goes to plan – why would you think it wouldn’t? – the finished album will be out tomorrow. A countdown clock in the ‘studio’ suggests that the earliest you could expect it would be 6.30am UK time.
Who knows though? At the time of writing – with eighteen and a half hours to go – West is still very much recording vocals. This doesn’t leave very long to mix and master the album. Obviously West is not averse to remixing and even re-recording tracks after they’ve been released to streaming services. I guess what I’m saying though, is don’t get too upset if you don’t get to hear ‘Donda’ on your streaming service of choice tomorrow.
If you want to hear it tonight with other like-minded people, a load of map coordinates for events screening the livestream have been listed on West’s website. In the UK, it looks like the Crown & Shuttle in Shoreditch, Cardiff Castle and and the Radisson Blu in Edinburgh. Or thereabouts. It all starts at 2.30am UK time anyway, by which time you should be fast asleep in bed.
Watch the (silent) video on Apple Music now.
