David Byrne began working on Who is the Sky? in the years following the conclusion of his American Utopia era, which included a successful Broadway run and a Spike Lee-directed HBO special.[2] Reflecting on his creative process, Byrne said, “At my age, at least for me, there’s a ‘don’t give a shit about what people think’ attitude that kicks in. I can step outside my comfort zone with the knowledge that I kind of know who I am by now and sort of know what I’m doing.” He described each song as “a new adventure,” often beginning with simple acoustic demos and looped beats.[3]
As Byrne accumulated a stockpile of rudimentary songs, he envisioned the emotional core of the material being brought out through orchestralarrangements. “I suspected that intimate orchestral arrangements would bring out the emotion I sense is there in these songs,” he explained, citing the desire to balance personal reflection with accessibility. To achieve this, Byrne collaborated with music producerKid Harpoon, whom he credited with helping convey his unique artistic vision.[1]
The album features contributions from Ghost Train Orchestra, as well as guest appearances by St. Vincent, Hayley Williams of Paramore, and Tom Skinner of The Smile. Speaking about the album's lead single, “Everybody Laughs,” Byrne said, “Someone I know said, ‘David, you use the word “everybody” a lot.’ I suppose I do that to give an anthropological view of life in New York as we know it. Everybody lives, dies, laughs, cries, sleeps and stares at the ceiling.” Kid Harpoon added, “These songs are personal, but with David’s unique perspective on life in general... He gets the absurdity of it all.”[4][5]
Along with the album announcement and first single, David Byrne announced the Who Is the Sky? Tour on June 11, 2025 spread across 2025 and 2026.[6] The 2025 dates are primarily focussed on the US with a three day stop in Canada, whereas the 2026 dates tours Australasia, Europe, and the UK.[4] While Byrne has performed in the US extensively with his residency at St. James Theatre, this is the first time he has performed in Australasia and Europe since his 2018 American Utopia tour.[7] The tour will use 13 musicians, singers, and dancers - some from the American Utopia tour - to achieve a show that "blends visual art, storytelling, and music into one compelling live performance."[7]
