Juniper (Joy Crookes album)

Juniper
Studio album by
Joy Crookes
Released19 September 2025 (2025-09-19)
Genres
Length41:17
Labels
Producers
  • Chrome Sparks
  • Joy Crookes
  • Harvey Grant
  • Blue May
Joy Crookes chronology
Skin
(2021)		 Juniper
(2025)
Singles from Juniper
  1. "Pass the Salt"
    Released: 10 January 2025
  2. "Mathematic"
    Released: 5 February 2025
  3. "I Know You'd Kill"
    Released: 20 March 2025
  4. "Carmen"
    Released: 16 May 2025
  5. "Perfect Crime"
    Released: 18 June 2025
  6. "Somebody To You"
    Released: 13 August 2025

Juniper is the second studio album by British singer-songwriter Joy Crookes, released through Insanity Records on 19 September 2025, and follows her 2021 critically acclaimed debut Skin.[1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic84/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash Music8/10[3]
DIYStarStarStarStar[4]
The GuardianStarStarStarStar[5]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[6]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Juniper received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 84 out of 100 from 4 critic scores.[2] Ife Lawrence of DIY hailed Juniper as "a testament to Joy's inner strength," blending R&B, soul, and jazz to explore topics including queer love and mental health.[4] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian praised the album as "an impressively fresh and individual take on the familiar" with songs that have "have big choruses and strong melodies".[5]

Writing for Clash, Rachel Min Leong praised Juniper as "playful, exploratory and incredibly clever record."[3] Lana Williams of The Line of Best Fit wrote that Crookes "laying her soul bare."[6]

Track listing

Juniper track listing[7]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Brave"
  • Joy Crookes
  • Nathan Allen
  • Sam Beste
  • Alex Bonfanti
  • Graham Godfrey
  • Blue May
  • Steve Pringle
  • Junior Williams
May3:54
2."Pass the Salt" (featuring Vince Staples)
  • May
  • Harvey Grant[a]
2:47
3."Carmen"
  • May
  • Crookes
3:02
4."Perfect Crime"
  • Crookes
  • Lattimer
  • Ntuthuko Nhlumayo
2:32
5."Mathematics" (featuring Kano)
May3:18
6."House with a Pool"
  • Crookes
  • Beste
  • Lattimer
  • Lister
3:29
7."I Know You'd Kill"
  • May
  • Crookes
2:54
8."First Last Dance"
  • Crookes
  • Lattimer
  • Nhlumayo
  • May
  • Crookes
  • Chrome Sparks
  • Tev'n[a]
3:20
9."Mother"
  • Crookes
  • Beste
  • Lister
  • Pott
May3:29
10."Somebody to You"
  • Crookes
  • Lattimer
  • Lister
  • May
  • Crookes
  • Grant[a]
  • Chrome Sparks[a]
2:57
11."Forever"
  • Crookes
  • Nathaniel Ledwidge
  • May
  • Crookes
  • Grant
  • Tev'n[a]
3:17
12."Paris"
  • Crookes
  • Beste
  • Lister
  • Pott
6:18
Total length:41:17

Notes

  • ^[a] indicates an additional producer
  • ^[m] indicates a miscellaneous producer
  • "Carmen" credits Elton John and Bernie Taupin as writers due to the song "unintentionally channelling 'Bennie and the Jets'".[8]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[7]

Musicians

  • Joy Crookes – lead vocals (all tracks), organ (track 2), background vocals (3, 4, 6–9, 11, 12), guitar (4)
  • Alex Bonfanti – bass (1–7, 9, 12), piano (7)
  • Nathan Allen – drums (1–3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12)
  • Blue May – programming (1, 2, 6, 8, 11), synthesizer (1, 3, 6); bass, electric guitar (6, 8); percussion (7); acoustic guitar, keyboards (8); bass synthesizer (11)
  • Sam Beste – piano (1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 12)
  • Amy Langley – arrangement, music direction (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Klara Romac – cello (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Rachel Lander – cello (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Amy Stanford – viola (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Jo Galtin – viola (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Marianne Haynes – viola (1, 3, 9), violin (5)
  • Blaize Henry – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Ellie Stanford – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Elodie Chousmer-Howelles – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Gita Langley – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • James Douglas – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Jessie Murphy – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Kotono Sato – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Philippa Mo – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Rosie Langley – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Sarah Daramy-Williams – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Sarah Sexton – violin (1, 3, 5, 9)
  • Steve Pringle – Hammond organ (1, 6), synthesizer (3, 9), timpani (3); keyboards, programming (9); Mellotron, Rhodes piano (12)
  • Junior Williams – background vocals (1)
  • Graham Godfrey – percussion (1)
  • Oli Savill – percussion (2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12)
  • Harvey Dweller – synthesizer (2)
  • Vince Staples – vocals (2)
  • Kai Kwasi – background vocals (3, 7)
  • Jonny Lattimer – whistles (4); guitar, piano (6)
  • Harvey Grant – synthesizer (4, 11), piano (11)
  • Rob Bisel – bass, guitar (4)
  • Jacob Allen – guitar (4)
  • Emil Larbi – percussion (4)
  • Kano – vocals (5)
  • Tev'n – background vocals, programming, synthesizer (6)
  • Chrissy Barker – background vocals (7)
  • Kenzie Bryant – background vocals (7)
  • Moya Garrison-Msingwana – background vocals (7)
  • Frank Walden – brass (7)
  • Henry Collins – brass (7)
  • Alexis Nuñez – drums (7)
  • Marcus Bonfanti – guitar (7)
  • Jeremy Malvin – bass, bass synthesizer, electric guitar, programming, synthesizer (8)
  • Haich Ber Na – background vocals (8)
  • Barney Lister – programming (12)

Technical

  • Blue May – mixing (all tracks), engineering (1–3, 6–12)
  • Matt Colton – mastering
  • Ricky Damian – engineering (4)
  • Scott Knapper – engineering (7)
  • George Chung – engineering assistance (1–3, 6, 8, 10–12)
  • Ishaan Nimkar – engineering assistance (3, 4, 6, 8, 10)
  • Chris Bolster – engineering assistance (3)
  • Giancomo Vianello – engineering assistance (8)

Charts

Chart (2025) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (Official Charts)[9]10
UK Albums (Official Charts)[10]13

References

  1. ↑ "Joy Crookes announces second album, 'Juniper'". DIY. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Juniper by Joy Crookes". Metacritic. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
  3. 1 2 Min Leong, Rachel. "Joy Crookes – Juniper". Clash Music. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  4. 1 2 Lawrence, Ife (19 September 2025). "A testament to Joy's inner strength". Dork. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Joy Crookes: Juniper review – sadness made sublime by streetwise soul and snappy wit". The Guardian. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  6. 1 2 Lana, Williams (19 September 2025). "Juniper is Joy Crookes laying her soul bare". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Juniper / Joy Crookes / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  8. ↑ Geraghty, Hollie (16 September 2025). "Rediscovering Joy: How Joy Crookes Made Her Return with Resilient New Album 'Juniper'". Rolling Stone UK. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  9. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 26/9/2025 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  10. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 26/9/2025 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
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