Childish Gambino no more? Donald Glover’s final album under the name has been announced, with “Bando Stone & The New World” set to drop later this month.
While not necessarily the last time Glover will drop music (at least we hope not), “Bando Stone & The New World” has been described as the final Childish Gambino album, a stage name (famously pulled from an online Wu-Tang “name generator”) Glover has used since the late 2000s. With the final project, it seems Glover is taking the Prince route with a film soundtrack as a proper album, with the inspiration specifically called out.
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When teasing the project last year, the multihyphenate performer declared it as the final project, saying, “there’s a Childish Gambino album, the final Childish Gambino album,” while specifically referencing Prince’s 1989 album for the “Batman” film, as well as the soundtrack for the 1995 film “Batman Forever,” which featured Seal, Brandy and more. The lead single, “Lithonia,” dropped this week, an organ-led track that sees Gambino singing over stacked vocals before giving way to an anthem-sized rock arrangement.
Again, this is not the end for Glover, as his career has consistently been one of many hats. He is still fresh off his new reboot series of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” has his Lando Star Wars movie still in the works, and is returning to voice Simba in the upcoming live-action prequel to “The Lion King,” “Mufasa: The Lion King.”
But it does leave us wondering why drop the name in the first place? When first conceived, the distinction was made so that his comedy career could remain separate from his musical ambitions, which seemed to work in his favor (Glover has 5 Grammys for his work under Gambino).
Still, there is no need to fear just yet, Gambino fans. If he is truly saying farewell to the name, he is certainly going out with a bang. In addition to the film and album, he recently announced a world tour in support of “Bando Stone & The New World” this summer.
Perhaps the need for a stage name is simply not there anymore? Glover has proven to be a chameleon in the industry with or without the stage name, constantly weaving from TV shows, film, and everything in-between. Or maybe Childish Gambino as an artistic expression has simply come to an end, with “Bando Stone & The New World” standing as a perfect farewell to the name. Either way, Glover is one of our most unpredictable artists in the industry, and whatever comes next is sure to keep us on our toes.
Check out the trailer for the “Bando Stone & The New World” film below:
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