Road to Joy (Peter Gabriel song)
"Road to Joy" is a song by English musician Peter Gabriel, released in June 2023 as the sixth single in promotion of his tenth studio album I/O. The track is one of the last tracks to emerge for the album, it had originally been conceived around 2000's OVO called "Pukka", albeit sounding very different to the final rendition of the track.[1][2] The track was produced by Gabriel and English musician Brian Eno, and features Tony Levin on bass, Manu Katché on drums, John Metcalfe on string arrangements, and the Soweto Gospel Choir.[1][3][2]
"Road to Joy"
- 4 June 2023 (bright-side mix)
- 18 June 2023 (dark-side and in-side mixes)
- Real World (Wiltshire)
- British Grove (London)
- The Beehive (London)
- High Seas (Johannesburg)
5:21
- Real World
- EMI (UK/Japan)
- Republic (US/Canada)
Peter Gabriel
- Peter Gabriel
- Brian Eno
The single features the artwork "Middle Finger in Pink" by Ai Weiwei. Gabriel traveled to Cambridge to meet with Ai, who was unfamiliar with Gabriel's work. After a follow-up visit in London was successful, Ai Weiwei agreed to collaborate with Gabriel. Ai then sent three designs for Gabriel to choose from, all of which centered around "a middle finger raised against authority".[4]
The track has been described as being more fun and upbeat than the rest of the record, Gabriel stated about the track's more upbeat nature that "the excitement and energy in the song was something that I was getting off on. I felt we didn't have enough of that for this record."[6][1]
Choir
Soweto Gospel Choir