Sky Ferreira Returns? We’ve Heard This Song Before

In 2019, I edited a cover story for Pitchfork called “Sky Ferreira Returns.” The profile, by Camille Dodero, is raw, fun, and a little harrowing. It begins with Sky showing up to a restaurant, immediately retreating to the restroom for a half hour, and then emerging with wet eyes, before it delves deep into the forever-put-upon pop star’s story of being held captive by the major label machine as well as her own doubts and perfectionism. In the years since, though, I’ve come to think of that piece’s headline in particular as a punchline. Wishful thinking. At the time, Sky was releasing an eerie track called “Downhill Lullaby,” her first single since her brilliant 2013 debut album, Night Time, My Time, and (allegedly) the first track from its follow-up, Masochism. After years of delays—she originally promised that Masochism’s lead single would hit in 2015—things finally seemed to be happening. The story also teased another new song, “Don’t Forget,” which I had actually heard with my own ears. It existed. And back then, Sky swore that Masochism was coming in 2019, too.

It’s almost 2025. Still no Masochism. To be fair, “Downhill Lullaby” did come out around the same time as that cover story. “Don’t Forget” came out too—three years later, in May 2022. Since then, there’s been no more new Sky music. Until this week.