Morrissey Teases New Single ‘Make Up Is A Lie’ and Hints at Imminent Album Reveal
Morrissey is building anticipation for new music, sharing a preview of his upcoming single, “Make Up Is A Lie,” and signaling a full album announcement is expected this Friday, January 9th. The release marks a new chapter for the iconic former Smiths frontman,who recently signed with Sire Records on December 19th and unveiled a 12-track album listing on Christmas Day.
Initially, speculation arose that the new material might be the long-awaited “Bonfire Of Teenagers.” However,the recently shared tracklist confirms a completely new body of work,featuring songs such as “The Monsters Of Pig Alley,” “Headache,” and “You’re Right,It’s Time.” While specific details regarding the album’s title and release date remain under wraps, Morrissey has been strategically dropping clues online throughout the week.
These hints included an Instagram post on January 5th simply stating “January 9,” followed by a more cryptic message on January 6th: “By midnight came an outburst so much louder than a cloudburst.” Now, a post reading “new music” accompanies a snippet of the unreleased song.
The preview showcases Morrissey’s signature vocal delivery alongside an upbeat melody. “She said, make up, make up is a lie,” he sings, repeating the phrase before the music shifts to a more melancholic tone with the line, “I soon return to Paris.” Based on the lyrics and the tracklist, it is widely believed the song is indeed “Make Up Is A Lie,” the third track on the new LP. Consequently, the earlier cryptic message – “By midnight came an outburst so much louder than a cloudburst” – may allude to further lyrics within the song, with January 9th possibly marking the official release date of the single.
The forthcoming album represents a project separate from the troubled “Bonfire Of Teenagers.” Morrissey revealed in 2023 to medium that he had completed another album prior to “Bonfire Of Teenagers” but was unable to release it. “[It] was re-recorded in france in late 2023, and given a new title,” he explained. “We scrapped half of the tracks and we recorded six new ones, and so it is not the album from the beginning of 2023.”
The path to this new release has been fraught with complications surrounding “Bonfire Of Teenagers,” dating back to December 2022 when Morrissey announced his departure from Capitol Records. This followed an earlier confirmation in october 2022 that the album would be released. Originally, the album featured a collaboration with Miley Cyrus on a track titled “I Am Veronica,” but Cyrus later requested her vocals be removed, reportedly due to the artist’s controversial political views and support for the For Britain party.Morrissey has consistently denied being far-right, a sentiment echoed by former Smiths bandmate Johnny Marr, who acknowledged the issue has “cast a shadow over The Smiths.”
The controversy escalated in 2023 when Morrissey accused Capitol Records of “fascism” and alleged the label intentionally sought to sabotage “Bonfire Of Teenagers.” He further claimed the CEO was attempting to derail his career and that he was being “gagged” regarding its release. Ultimately, Morrissey regained the rights to the album.
Despite the turbulence surrounding past projects, Morrissey is looking ahead with a European tour scheduled to begin on February 13th in Denmark, including a headline perform
