maxwell-blacksummersnight

The wait is over. Seven years in the making, Maxwell’s long-awaited blackSUMMERS’nighthas finally arrived.

After teasing the project and performing “Lake by the Ocean” at the BET Awards over the weekend, the 43-year-old singer delivers the second album in his trilogy, the follow-up to 2009’s BLACKsummers’night.

The suave crooner has already given fans a hint of what they can expect with a slew of releases, including “All the Ways Love Can Feel,” “Gods,” “1990x,” and the aforementioned“Lake by the Ocean.”

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he explained the reason for the delay.

“I started traveling, and I lost a very, very important family member of mine about two years ago,” he said, referring to his cousin, who died in 2014. “And sonically, I was evolving. I had anxiety about having to meet that challenge of [recording] a sequel to 2009’sBLACKsummers’night.”

But hopefully fans shouldn’t have to wait as long for the final installment in the trilogy.

“We’ll be done as I begin my arena run in the fall,” he said. “I do not want to be 50 years old releasing the same-titled album. I don’t want to oversaturate the market and be out there all the time.”

For now, kick back and vibe out to the smooth sounds of blackSUMMERS’night.