Ego Ella May starts 2026 with the release of “What You Waiting For” and the date for the arrival of her sophomore album, Good Intentions. The British-Nigerian singer-songwriter already shared “What We Do” and “We’re Not Free.” “What You Waiting For” is one of the most laid-back calls to action with a carefree visual. May was direct about the song’s message in a statement from a press release. “‘What You Waiting For’ is one of my favourite songs to play live; this song is so fun! But it holds a deeper meaning about living life NOW, and about presence. Quite simply, don’t wait! The time is now. I wrote it about this album as a whole, and trying to conjure up more of a belief in myself and my gifts, and I kept saying to myself, ‘If not now, when?’ It’s the anthem I play when I need a confidence boost!”
May produced Good Intentions with input from Alfa Mist, TAVE, Beat Butcha, Melo Zed, and LVTHER. She counts her favorite authors, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Patti Smith, Chinua Achebe, Ayobami Adebayo, and Joan Didion, among the influences on the album. Good Intentions is the next phase in a journey that started in 2014 with the release of her Breathing Underwater EP. Her Honey For Wounds debut album earned her Best Jazz Act at the 2020 MOBO Awards. Since then her music has been heard on television and in films, including Issa Rae’s Insecure, Queen Sugar, Dear White People, Sex Education, The Jackal, and And Just Like That. She was nominated for Best Jazz Act again at the 2025 MOBO Awards. She is scheduled to perform at some Rough Trade stores in the UK after the release of Good Intentions. Access to the three acoustic shows is through the pre-order for the exclusive signed copy of vinyl or CD via Rough Trade.
