And the workaholic singer’s forthcoming second album, due out later this year, has the potential to bring her modern take on smooth soul to even bigger audiences. The as-yet-untitled record has her working with a stacked cast of songwriting and producing collaborators: along with Devotion co-conspirators Dave Okumu, Julio Bashmore, and Kid Harpoon, Ware also enlisted Miguel, Arctic Monkeys producer James Ford, Toronto’s Nineteen85 (who co-produced Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home”), along with go-to songwriter Ed Sheeran, who’s helped write singles for Taylor Swift and One Direction. But the record’s most prominent co-stars are the executive-producer team BenZel, aka London electro expert Two Inch Punch and one-time Dr. Luke protégé Benny Blanco, who helmed about half of the new album, including first UK single “Tough Love”, which is officially due out in Ware’s home country on August 3.
