Jai Wolf has dropped new new single, “(I Dread The Day He Takes You To) Paris [feat. MYRNE],” all as part of a new era he calls “Blue Babu,” via Mom+Pop. Along with the news, the artist has announced new 2023 Tour dates, including stops in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Austin.

Ahead of Coachella, Jai Wolf shared a mysteriously intriguing letter to fans via Instagram (see here), stating that his performance would launch a “new journey beginning with a demonstration in the desert, followed by an analysis of consciousness transcribed into sound.” Today, Jai Wolf titles this journey as the “Blue Babu” era; the latest installment of music as an exploration of the human condition, the follow up to his widely successful debut album The Cure To Loneliness. Here, Jai Wolf creates a conceptual narrative that centers on a virtual simulation device called “Blue Babu,” sold by a fictional company called Hikikomori Inc., whose name is taken from the Japanese term for severe social withdrawal. The device, which allows users to relive their past memories, represents “the dual-sided nature of how people process emotions today,” he says. “You could either choose to immerse yourself into your trauma and explore it, or you could totally ignore it and escape through your vices. It’s the same thing with music—it’s either healing or escapism.”

“This era feels like a true rebirth by pushing my sound into new territories while still feeling grounded in my usual sonic palette,” says Jai Wolf. “While a lot of electronic music is defined by the production, I really wanted to focus on lyrics and songwriting for the new music.”

The “Blue Babu” era marks a return for Jai Wolf, starting with the recent release of his first official single in three years, “Want It All” featuring rising pop sensation Evalyn. The track release included a visually stunning music video, directed by director Andrew Donoho (The Strokes, Joji, Janelle Monae), with an intricately choreographed dance performance. It was created with AI and ranges in visual aesthetics from oil paintings to futuristic art.

The new single “Paris,” out today, was inspired by another artist who is celebrating the “eras” of their life, Taylor Swift. “The song was inspired by Taylor Swift’s ‘Paris’ from her most recent record,” says Jai Wolf. “I realized that so many artists, from the 1975 to The Chainsmokers, had written songs about it. I thought to myself: what would a Jai Wolf “Paris” song be about? Ultimately, I thought it would be most interesting not to write about physically being in the city myself, but to write about the idea of a former lover being taken there. That felt like the most unique and original framing for the concept.”

Jai Wolf 2023 Tour Dates

Wed August 9 – Phoenix, Arizona – The Van Buren
Fri August 11 – Austin, Texas – ACL Live at the Moody Theater
Sat August 12 – Dallas, Texas – South Side Ballroom
Sun August 13 – Houston, Texas – House of Blues
Wed August 16 – Jacksonville, FL – Underbelly
Thu August 17 – Orlando, Florida – The Beacham
Fri August 18 – St. Petersburg, Florida – Jannus Live
Sat August 19 – Atlanta, Georgia – The Eastern
Sun August 20 – Charleston, South Carolina – Music Farm
Wed August 23 – Asheville, North Carolina – The Orange Peel
Thu August 24 – Charlotte, North Carolina – Blackbox Theater
Fri August 25 – Washington, DC – Echostage
Sat August 26 – Brooklyn, New York – Brooklyn Mirage
Wed August 30 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The Ave Live
Thu August 31 – Boston, Massachusetts – Roadrunner
Fri September 1 – Montreal, Quebec – Le Studio TD
Sat September 2 – Toronto, Ontario – The Danforth Music Hall
Mon September 4 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Bogart’s
Wed September 6 – Royal Oak, Michigan – Royal Oak Music Theatre
Thu September 7 – Chicago, Illinois – The Salt Shed
Fri September 8 – Madison, Wisconsin – The Sylvee
Sat September 9 – Minneapolis, Minnesota – The Uptown
Mon September 11 – Omaha, Nebraska – Slowdown
Wed September 13 – Kansas City, Missouri – The Truman
Thu September 14 – Denver, Colorado – The Mission Ballroom
Fri September 15 – Boulder, Colorado – Boulder Theater
Sat September 16 – Salt Lake City, Utah – The Union
Thu September 21 – Del Mar, California – The Sound At Del Mar
Fri September 22 – Los Angeles, California – Greek Theatre
Sat September 23 – Berkeley, California – The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley
Tue September 26 – Sacramento, California – Ace of Spades
Wed September 27 – Boise, Idaho – Knitting Factory Concert House
Thu September 28 – Bozeman, Montana – The ELM
Fri September 29 – Missoula, Montana – The Wilma
Sat September – Spokane, Washington – Knitting Factory Concert House
Wed October 4 – Eugene, Oregon – McDonald Theater
Thu October 5 – Portland, Oregon – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
Sat October 7 – Seattle, Washington – WaMu Theater

Purchase tickets for Jai Wolf HERE