Richard Ashcroft Shares First Solo Single in Seven Years

‘Lover’ finds the former Verve frontman rap-singing over a sample of Joan Armatrading’s UK hit ‘Love And Affection’.

After scoring the coveted support spot for Oasis’ upcoming UK and Ireland tour, former frontman of the Verve, Richard Ashcroft, has quietly dropped his first single in seven bloody years!

‘Lover’ is an interesting track featuring Ashcroft rap-singing over a sample of Joan Armatrading’s 1976 smash hit, ‘Love And Affection’. It’s a strange synth pop mesh of finger clicks, saxophone and Ashcroft’s Ian Brown-esque delivery, complete with ‘oohs’ and background harmonies.

Ashcroft co-produced the track with Emre Ramazanoglu and received Armatrading’s blessing to incorporate her original song.

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It’s seven years since Ashcroft's last solo album, 2018’s Natural Rebel. The record debuted at #4 on the UK Album Chart and includes the singles ‘Surpised by the Joy’, ‘Born to Be Strangers’ and ‘That’s When I Feel It’.

Since then, Ashcroft has released a cover of John Lennon’s ‘Bring on the Lucie (Freda Peeple)’ in 2021, and an acoustic album, Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1., containing songs from the Verve and his solo career.

Richard Ashcroft’s ‘Lover’ is available now via all good streaming platforms.