Poppy Unveils Seventh Album ‘Empty Hands’

Alternative pop and heavy music innovator Poppy, born Moriah Rose Pereira, is poised to release her seventh studio album, Empty Hands, on Friday, 23 January. Arriving just fifteen months after her previous record, Negative Spaces, the new album signifies a deliberate evolution towards denser, more visceral sonic landscapes, reflecting both artistic maturity and the breadth of her creative ambition.

In 2025 alone, Poppy undertook an extraordinary 95 live performances and collaborated with acclaimed artists such as Babymetal, Amy Lee of Evanescence, and Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox. These ventures have solidified her reputation as one of contemporary heavy music’s most versatile and daring figures.

Poppy began 2026 with an introspective celebration of her 31st birthday, retreating to a secluded woodland cabin to spend time with her cat and reflect away from the public eye. Speaking to NME, she observed, “I love my birthday. It feels like a beautiful way to start the year.” This moment of quiet introspection mirrors the themes explored in Empty Hands, an album that juxtaposes ferocious intensity with intimate reflection.

Her musical journey has always been fluid, spanning viral YouTube experiments to explorations of pop, industrial metal, and glam rock. Empty Hands amplifies her heavier sonic tendencies, with production by Jordan Fish (formerly of Bring Me The Horizon) and lyrics co-crafted with Stephen Harrison (House Of Protection). The resulting work merges metalcore aggression, ’90s-inspired riffs, and apocalyptic soundscapes, yet it retains moments of vulnerability and subtle emotional nuance.

The following table summarises the key aspects of Poppy’s last four studio albums:

Poppy emphasises the fluidity underpinning her creative output: “Once you reach a certain stage, you don’t have to explain yourself—everything is understood naturally.” While recurring collaborators contribute to her signature sound, she asserts that Empty Hands is fundamentally distinct from Negative Spaces. “Critics or fans may try to confine it to a single style, but I know where the boundaries lie,” she states.

The album’s tracks fluctuate between raw aggression and tender introspection, exemplified by Dying To Forget, which channels intense emotion while leaving space for vulnerability. Her enigmatic refrain, “I am always in/at emptiness,” captures a dual existence—perpetually present within digital culture yet fiercely protective of personal solitude.

Even after a decade in the industry, Poppy’s creative drive remains undiminished. Life on tour necessitates mental isolation, which she navigates through reading, journaling, and collage-making, all while preparing for forthcoming North American shows. “Discontent drives me toward new exploration,” she reflects. Empty Hands stands as a testament to her relentless pursuit of artistic evolution, reaffirming her position as a fearless innovator in contemporary music.