Tom Odell’s new album A Wonderful Life confronts the turbulence of modern existence head-on, written as a reaction to a world that seems to be ending in some capacity every week. Recorded live with his band in storied London spaces like Church Studios, HOXA, and RAK’s legendary Room One, the album embraces imperfection, with instruments bleeding into each other to create a raw and immediate sound. Odell channels despair, frustration, and helplessness into songs that cut to the heart of what it feels like to be alive right now.

That spirit is embodied in the lead single “Ugly,” where Odell confronts body image and shame with unflinching honesty. “Something I’ve never really talked about is some of my own weird shame around my body, and it feels so uncomfortable to actually say that in a song. But when you say it, it’s really fucking powerful,” he admits. The track captures the tension between how effortless life can appear from the outside and the fraught reality of actually living it.

Odell’s career has long been defined by this willingness to strip himself bare. Since stepping up as a frontman in his school band, he has built a catalog of emotionally charged songs about love, heartbreak, and self-reflection, winning a BRIT Award, an Ivor Novello, and critical praise from The Guardian, The Telegraph, Rolling Stone, and more. His following has grown into a global force, with 31 million monthly Spotify listeners, 14 billion career streams, and headline tours across continents.

His previous album Black Friday debuted in Spotify’s Top Album Debut Global Chart, its haunting title track reaching more than 700 million streams. Meanwhile, his debut single “Another Love” became a viral anthem of solidarity with Ukraine, soaring past four billion streams. Yet Odell has never been driven by commercial success, instead focusing on music that connects people through shared vulnerability. As he puts it, “It alleviates some of the loneliness of existing, which is what we’re all going through, together.”

With A Wonderful Life, Odell raises that connection to new heights, creating a body of work that wrestles with despair yet finds strength in honesty, and a reminder that even in the darkest moments, beauty can still be found.