By Amanda Wicks
Drake fans gathered around their Internet radios on Thursday (April 28) at 10:00pm ET to hear what they believed was going to be the premiere of his fourth studio album Views. When they arrived, however, they learned the interview was delayed 45 minutes, and when 10:45pm came and went, Drake still didn’t appear. Lo and behold, he surprised everyone by releasing Views one hour before its intended 12:00am ET time on April 29.
Related: Drake Shares ‘Views from the 6’ Track List
Available exclusively on iTunes, the 20-track album features Future, Rihanna, PARTYNEXTDOOR, among many others.When Beats 1 finally did broadcast Drake’s interview with Zane Lowe at 11:15pm ET, he said of Views, “This album is probably my highest level of vocal performance, I’d say.” He mentioned listening to Stevie Wonder and Alabama Shakes for inspiration, and that he very much wanted to shift direction from the past two mixtapes he released. “This was more about what is a cohesive incredible listening experience from me,” he said.
Talking about his friendship and collaborations with Future, Drake admitted, “He’s a machine. I’ve never seen anybody with that much of a catalog.” There’s a sharp difference between them, though. “When you catch that stride and it’s natural and you’re not overthinking it and you’re doing what you want to hear and what you feel,” he said, describing why Future has recorded so much. “My approach is way more calculated.”
“I got other stuff coming out this summer,” Drake hinted, saying that he had already written tracks that had nothing to do with Views and they would drop later this summer.
As for the track, “Too Good,” which he recorded with Rihanna, he said about their chemistry, “I think that’s what makes the records better. We’re not just forcing the story…we have genuine energy between us.”
On Instagram, shortly before dropping the album, Drake commented about the temperature (Celsius) in Toronto, remarking how even the weather was ready for his new album. Well, fans, have at it. Views is available now on iTunes.
