“I Don’t Want Another Fantasy”: Elliott Skinner Channels Light, Lineage, & a Quiet Reckoning on “RECALLING”
Elliott Skinner steps into a bold new era as he opens his soul on “RECALLING,” a quietly cathartic, spiritually charged future-soul meditation on truth, lineage, and self-liberation from an artist coming brilliantly into his own.
“RECALLING” – Elliott Skinner
There’s a big difference between belief and delusion. There are a lot of lies being told by people in power – constructs of gender and race that hold us to these outdated views of reality. I believe making impactful change involves understanding those constructs and being able to dream outside of them.
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“Recalling what you said to me,” Elliott Skinner sings softly, every breath more sweetly spellbinding than the last. “I will take care of you. I will never let you go.”
His voice is so delicate, pure, and soul-stirring that the entire song seems to float warm and weightless within it. Across three serene minutes, “RECALLING” becomes a gentle future-soul meditation – soothing and spacious, quietly cathartic, and carried almost entirely by the ache and luminosity of Skinner’s falsetto. The Texas-raised, Denmark-based artist shapes the entire world of the song with that airy, emotive register, creating something that feels both intimate and expansive, like a whispered revelation meant to settle straight into the chest.
Recalling what you said to me
“I will take care of you
I will never let you go.”
And I’ll remember
what your mother said
“You will never find”
I don’t want another fantasy
Released September 9, “RECALLING” marks Skinner’s first new music since his 2024 debut EP Farewell to Ghosts – and his first release since signing globally with iconic London label Ninja Tune. It arrives as both a reintroduction and an evolution, a song he first wrote in 2018 that has since become a kind of spiritual through-line in his live sets and creative life. Long before its official release, “RECALLING” existed as a mantra shared between Skinner and the audiences who sang it back to him – a communal chant, a grounding ritual, an invocation for clarity. Its arrival now feels less like a rollout and more like a culmination, the formal unveiling of a piece that’s already been lived in, tested, and transformed over years of performance and growth.
Skinner approaches his craft through lineage, intention, and devotion. “In the tradition of one of the world’s most dedicated musicians – the great D’Angelo, I make Black music,” he tells Atwood Magazine. “I try and practice the traditions of my ancestors – a deep expression as a necessity tool for survival.” That inheritance pulses at the center of “RECALLING,” which he wrote during a rehearsal session with close friend Zach Mullings. “We stumbled upon this figure that I fell in love with,” he recalls. “I wrote the lyrics somewhat hastily… but over the course of 6 years and playing it at mostly every show I’ve had, it’s turned into an intensely cathartic mantra.” Hearing audiences chant “I don’t want another fantasy” with him, he says, “releases something good for the soul.”
Recalling what you said to me
“I will take care of you
I will never let you go.”
And I’ll remember what your mother said
“You will never find”
I don’t want another fantasy
Recalling what you said to me
“I’ll take care of you
I will never let you go.”
And I’ll remember what your mother said
“You will never find”
You’ll never find somebody who sees you
Somebody who needs you like I do
That refrain – “I don’t want another fantasy” – lies at the heart of the song’s meaning: A plea for clarity, for truth, for the courage to step out of illusion and into a life that aligns with the self.
“‘RECALLING’ is about not holding yourself to a version of your life that isn’t meant for you,” Skinner explains. “It’s about the pursuit of a better reality.” His writing carries a subtle yet powerful charge, inviting listeners to question the stories they’ve inherited and the structures they’ve been taught to trust. “There’s a big difference between belief and delusion,” he says. “There are a lot of lies being told by people in power – constructs of gender and race that hold us to these outdated views of reality. I believe making impactful change involves understanding those constructs and being able to dream outside of them.”
Sensitivity, depth, and artistic intention radiate through every aspect of Skinner’s music. His songwriting merges tenderness with intensity, and his voice – soaring, vulnerable, and alive – becomes a vessel for both personal reflection and collective release. “I love storytelling,” he says. “Some of my favorite music is guitar and voice, and that’s really where I began as an artist. There’s an inherent intimacy in that form of work.” But the purpose runs deeper. He often returns to James Baldwin’s belief that “the role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover.” For Skinner, that means making listeners conscious of what they haven’t yet seen, and offering music that is meant to be sung, lived in, and shared.
Elliott Skinner’s focus has sharpened into something irresistibly beautiful and unmistakably his own.
After years spent directing, supporting, and elevating other artists – from Chance the Rapper to Leon Bridges, Amos Lee, Nai Palm, Samora Pinderhughes, Jon Batiste, and more – Skinner is stepping forward with an artistic voice that feels unapologetically authentic and fully realized. “It feels less of a ‘stepping into the spotlight’ sort of thing, and more aligning with what I think I do best – and that’s being myself,” he reflects. What he hopes people feel when they hear his work is simple, yet profound: “I hope that people listen to the music and feel something they might not have felt before. But at the same time, an indescribable familiarity. Like the song was written for you and what you’re going through.”
“RECALLING” embodies that intention with stunning clarity. It is soft but powerful, dreamlike yet grounded, tender yet unflinching in its truth. A meditative chant. A soul-deep cleansing. A quiet reckoning carried by a falsetto that feels like light.
Elliott Skinner is building a world meant for connection, liberation, and possibility – and this song is its first beacon.
Recalling what you said to me
“I’ll take care of you
I will never let you go.”
And I’ll remember
what your mother said
“You will never find”
I don’t want another fantasy
Atwood Magazine sat down with Elliott Skinner to discuss the intentions, inspirations, and lived experiences shaping this powerful new chapter in his artistry.
Our conversation traces the stories behind his newest songs, the truths he’s excavating, and the world he’s building through spirit and sound. Read our candid interview below as we peel back the layers of this stunning 2026 artist to watch, and sink into the radiance of his latest singles “RECALLING” and “I Linger On.”
“For me, everything I am is informed by everything I have been,” Skinner wrote in a recent social media post. “It’s been many years of digging and searching and trying. I wouldn’t say I’ve arrived, but I have been working for a long time to get to this point.”
And what a point it is. He may not be ready to say it, but we can: Elliott Skinner has arrived, and the world is better off because of it. A truly exciting artist on the rise, Skinner sings with a clarity that feels ancestral and alive, reminding us what a voice can hold – light, lineage, longing, and truth – and why music made with this much intention isn’t just heard, but felt deep in our bones.
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:: stream/purchase RECALLING here ::
:: connect with Elliott Skinner here ::
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“RECALLING” – Elliott Skinner
A CONVERSATION WITH ELLIOTT SKINNER
Atwood Magazine: Elliott, for those who are just discovering you today through this writeup, what do you want them to know about you and your music?
Elliott Skinner: In the tradition of one of the world’s most dedicated musicians – the great D’Angelo, I make Black music. I try and practice the traditions of my ancestors – a deep expression as a necessity tool for survival. I don’t know where I’d be without music. It’s helped me understand myself and understand others.
I try and create as much as I can in community with others – for the lifting up of each other. The tradition of Black music is for making us feel closer to each other and I try to be as dedicated as possible to continuing that work.
I’m absolutely smitten with your recent releases. First off, what’s the story behind your song “RECALLING”?
Elliott Skinner: That means a lot! These are songs that feel so close to my spirit, so it’s incredible and also surreal that they’re out. I wrote “RECALLING” after a session in a rehearsal studio with my good friend Zach Mullings in 2018. We were just there to see what we could find, and we stumbled upon this figure that I fell in love with. I wrote the lyrics somewhat hastily – as in I didn’t take long thinking about the words. For a long time, I actually felt the song wasn’t done, but over the course of 6 years and playing it at mostly every show I’ve had, it’s turned into an intensely cathartic mantra. Hearing groups of people singing, in repetition, “I DON’T WANT ANOTHER FANTASY,” releases something good for the soul.
You’ve said “RECALLING” is about the pursuit of a better reality – about “not holding yourself to a version of your life that isn’t meant for you.” I understand you wrote this song years ago, so it must mean a lot to have it finally out in the world. What does this song mean to you?
Elliott Skinner: I truly feel as though this song has many meanings. The writing lends itself to that. I often view my songs similarly to visual artists and their paintings. I try to put my thoughts and feelings into the work in the most authentic way, but I do hope that people find their own meaning in the words. What I’ve learned from singing it for 6 years, is that you can’t hide behind something and gain true fulfillment. There’s a big difference between belief and delusion. There are a lot of lies being told by people in power – constructs of gender and race that hold us to these outdated views of reality. I believe making impactful change involves understanding those constructs and being able to dream outside of them.
I feel both a softness and an intensity about your songwriting, your melodies, your vocal performance – everything about your art. It’s so vulnerable, human, and alive. How do you approach your own music – and what does the art of music making mean to you?
Elliott Skinner: I love storytelling. Some of my favorite music is guitar and voice, and that’s really where I began as an artist. Writing songs in my room and calling it my expression. There’s an inherent intimacy in that form of work. Though the more I pushed myself to deepen my expression, the more inspiration I found.
I think about James Baldwin and his relationship to being an artist. He said, “The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.” There’s an inherent intensity in that type of work, but also a tenderness. I know music can be a powerful force and I take that very seriously. As much as I make music for the fulfillment of my own spirit, I create for people. I don’t mean in a consumer way either. I mean in the way that my music is supposed to be lived in and sung, not just heard.
You’ve said “I Linger On” is a love letter to music, and it shows. What inspired this song – what was your vision for it, and how did you go about bringing that vision to life?
Elliott Skinner: This song is another great example of what comes from leaning into community and collaboration.
I wrote this song with another great friend who goes by canteenkilla. The day we wrote this started like any other day we met up to create. With no expectations, we stumbled upon something so simple yet impactful. I tend to add layers and layers in my songs. I grew up singing in choirs and you can hear that influence in my work, but canteenkilla often has a more of a minimal approach. It’s consistently intimate with moments of expansion, and I love that about the song. canteenkilla first called it “a love letter to music” because it encapsulates our relationship to music and the home it’s given us. We each have found such a strong community through our intentional practice. Our dedication to music has in turn made us extremely dedicated to life and love and liberation.
What do you hope listeners take away from your songs, and what excites you most about this era in your music and artistry?
Elliott Skinner: I’ve spent a lot of time working and playing for other artists. I music directed for Leon Bridges, played bass for Amos Lee, and toured as a background singer with Chance The Rapper. While I loved every moment of working with all the artists I’ve worked with, I’ve definitely longed for being able to do what I love to do the most. For me, it feels less of a “stepping into the spotlight” sort of thing, and more aligning with what I think I do best – and that’s being myself.
I hope that people listen to the music and feel something they might not have felt before. But at the same time, I feel an indescribable familiarity. Like the song was written for you and what you’re going through.
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:: stream/purchase RECALLING here ::
:: connect with Elliott Skinner here ::
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“RECALLING” – Elliott Skinner
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© Hashim Musa
