serpentwithfeet has dropped “Same Size Shoe,” his new single off his forthcoming release, DEACON, out March 26th on Secretly Canadian. The track Follows the album’s lead-single, “Fellowship.” “Same Size Shoe” sees serpent navigating his desire to exclusively date Black men because they are the only ones who can fully relate to him: “I prefer to date and love on Black men. I don’t want to be with anyone who can’t go to my barber or walk a mile in my shoes.” Through his evocative voice and mellow, lush instrumentation, the track’s addictive chorus sums up this sentiment: “me and my boo wear the same size shoe.”

DEACON is a study rather than a story delving into Black, gay love and the tenderness present in the best companionships, romantic or otherwise. The follow-up to his debut album, soil, one of 2018’s most praised albums of the year, DEACON highlights serpent’s growth as a songwriter, embracing straightforward approaches to expression. The album came together after he relocated to Los Angeles, a city that provided a sense of tranquility, an aspect he pushed to capture in his new music.

serpent proudly follows in the tradition of R&B artists whose gifts were helmed in the Black church. The album’s title takes its name from the Christian office, a figure who helps maintain order within the church and himself. Approaching DEACON with an undeniable passion and reverence for the genre, serpent made the deliberate decision to exclude songs about heartbreak. This was a bold act for R&B, a genre quite literally shaped by the harsh realities the blues provide.

Pre-order DEACON by serpentwithfeet via Secretly Canadian HERE