We”ll believe it when we see it, but Skylar Grey”s long-delayed debut album, now titled “Don”t Look Down,” has a new Spring 2013 release date, and Eminem has signed on as executive producer.
Eminem will be featured on the new single, “C”mon Let Me Ride,” which comes out Dec. 11. Alex Da Kid produced the track and both he and Eminem mixed it. In a press release, Grey calls the song “fun and sarcastic.”
As you may recall, Grey”s album was supposed to come out in 2011. At that time, it was called “Invisible,” and Interscope even released the title track. Sounds like much of that work has been scrapped since Interscope refers to “C”mon Let Me Ride” as “the first single” from the album. We also don”t know what”s happening with a track she recorded in 2011 with Marilyn Manson called “Can”t Haunt Me.”
Grey, as you know, has already been nominated for five Grammys, mostly for co-writing Eminem”s “Love The Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna. She also co-wrote and appeared on Dr. Dre”s “I Need a Doctor.” She currently appears on two Slaughterhouse tracks and on her own tune, “Building a Monster,” from the “Frankenweenie” soundtrack.
In the press release, Grey explains the delay: “Putting out a debut album is a bit scary-I want it to be just right, so I took some extra time to finish it. Eminem”s increased involvement has been such a blessing; I”m getting guidance from an artist I really admire and trust. Having written many new songs, the album has become a completely different animal, hence the title change.”
Not that an artist isn”t entitled to change her mind, but when Grey spoke with Hitfix”s Katie Hasty in an interview that ran in September 2011, she was reluctant to record with Em because “I didn”t want to do what people expected.” Looks like that changed.
In other Eminem news, earlier this week he somewhat cryptically may have announced that he”ll have a new album out as well in 2013.
A new Eminem baseball cap came out Monday, available through his website, and it has dates for each of the years that he has released a solo album. For example, there”s a 1996 for “Infinite” and 2010 for “Recovery.” Now there”s a 2013. The cap is styled like a Detroit Tigers” cap, and we know that”s Eminem”s hometown team, so either he”s trying to tell us something or hoping that the Tigers can seal the deal next year after losing the World Series to the San Francisco Giants in four straight.