Atlantic recording artist Jason Mraz has announced details of his hugely anticipated new album, including by popular demand, a new release date."LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD" - which includes the heartfelt hit single, "I Won't Give Up" - will now arrive in stores and at all digital retailers on April 16th.
Produced by multiple GRAMMY® Award-winner Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, Christina Perri, Young The Giant), "LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD" marks Mraz's finest, most fully realized collection to date (see attached tracklisting).Fueled by magnificently textured arrangements and distinctive vocal landscapes, the album - Mraz's fourth studio release and first new collection since 2008's epochal "WE SING. WE DANCE. WE STEAL THINGS." - fully confirms the San Diego-based singer/songwriter as one of modern pop's most vibrant and inventive artists.
"It's personal.It's melodic.And it's mellow," Mraz recently told Billboard. "There's a couple of up-tempo tunes, but mostly the rhythm-of-the-heartbeat kind of takes precedence on this record.It feels more like the pace of life.At least, based on my life and what I've been doing."
With sales now approaching 500,000, "I Won't Give Up" also quickly ascended to #1 on iTunes' "Top Songs" and "Top Pop Songs" charts.In addition to its success here in the US, "I Won't Give Up" has also topped digital retailer charts around the world.
The "I Won't Give Up" companion video - directed by acclaimed filmmaker Mark Pellington (Bruce Springsteen, U2, Pearl Jam) - will have its eagerly awaited online premiere this Thursday, February 16th via Media24.co.za.Unveiled with little fanfare via a lyric video on Mraz's official www.jasonmraz.com, "I Won't Give Up" earned immediate love and praise from an array of famous names, including Ellen DeGeneres, Colbie Callait, Rob Thomas, Perez Hilton, and Lady Antebellum, all of whom took to their Twitter feeds to tweet about the track.The lyric video has since received nearly 8 million individual views at Mraz's official YouTube channel, .
* * * * *
One of the modern era's most gifted pop troubadours, Jason Mraz's extraordinary musical journey has taken him from coffee houses to stadiums all over the world, with two GRAMMY® Awards and six nominations already to his credit. His third studio album, 2008's "WE SING. WE DANCE. WE STEAL THINGS." was an indelible global blockbuster, earning gold, platinum and multi-platinum certifications in 21 countries around the world.The album's lead single, "I'm Yours" was ASCAP's 2010 "Song of the Year" and also holds the record for being the longest-running song in the history of the Billboard "Hot 100" chart. A prolific songwriter, Mraz has been feted with a number of honors, including the Songwriters Hall of Fame's esteemed "Hal David Starlight Award," presented to gifted songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs.
Mraz spent much of 2011 road-testing the songs from "LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD" touring alongside his longtime friend, percussionist Noel "Toca" Rivera.The worldwide trek - which included performances in North America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand - saw Mraz celebrating music's lasting power to inspire change and help others through global citizenship.Among the journey's many highlights were multiple sold out shows at such iconic venues as Australia's Sydney Opera House, New York City's Carnegie Hall, and Spreckels Theatre in Mraz's adopted hometown of San Diego.
Long known for his many philanthropic activities, Mraz recently announced the establishment of the Jason Mraz Foundation, devoted to supporting a number of charities for which he has been a dedicated and impassioned advocate.Mraz created the Foundation - http://jasonmraz.com/foundation/ - to sustain organizations aligned with his four pillars of service:human equality, environment preservation, arts and education, and recovery and assistance.
