creole culture, the highly-anticipated new album by New Orleans-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multidisciplinary artist Dawn Richard, is out today. As if that wasn't enough reason to celebrate, Richard is sharing a new video for creole culture highlight "only fans," directed by Lyrik London. Watch it below and listen to creole culture wherever you stream music. creole culture is available to purchase digitally and on CD, LP, or limited edition "Champagne Wave" Peak Vinyl from the Merge store and Dawn Richard's Bandcamp page. The first 300 Peak Vinyl orders in the US come come with a free flexi disc featuring Dawn's 2025 single “A Flex.”
Dawn Richard on "only fans":
Set in a dystopian New Orleans, the visual brings King Creole back at her eight count. “only fans” plays with the idea of spectatorship and the reality of what it means to be an artist, especially an independent artist, in a world where you are constantly being watched, analyzed, copied, discussed, and scrutinized.
The title is an intentional play on the idea behind platforms like OnlyFans, where people can place a value on access to themselves and charge spectators for their attention. Artists, on the other hand, can have thousands of people watching their every move, consuming their work, forming opinions, critiquing their choices, and even borrowing from their ideas—often without the artist ever being compensated for that attention.
“only fans”, flips that dynamic: if you’re going to watch me, study me, copy me, talk about me, and have an opinion about everything I do, maybe you should have to pay for the view.
The visual uses satire, performance, choreography, and a dystopian version of New Orleans to explore that idea while continuing the world of creole culture.
The visual is directed by Lyrik London, an award-winning choreographer, creative director, and filmmaker based in Atlanta. Known for his raw, theatrical choreography and intentional commercial movement, Lyrik leads the creative collective Thee Haus of London, directs high-production dance films, and teaches masterclasses at prominent studios.
creole culture is triumphant and tragic, sexy and mournful, braggadocious and contemplative. The album presents Richard’s New Orleans as a utopian soundscape — an intoxicating blend of R&B, soul, hip-hop, pop, and jazz — that’s survived and thrived despite the dystopian circumstances visited upon it. Fans in Chicago, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC will have an opportunity to experience creole culture live later this year — follow Dawn for more information!
Dawn Richard on tour:
Nov 04 New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
Nov 05 Philadelphia, PA – Music Hall @ World Cafe Live
Nov 07 Washington, DC – Transmission
