Jordan Ward Releases Sophomore Album BACKWARD

St. Louis singer and songwriter Jordan Ward releases his highly anticipated sophomore album BACKWARD. Executive produced by Lido, the album sits in a reflective space that feels intentional rather than unresolved. BACKWARD carries the feeling of understanding what you need and what you want, even if the direction forward still feels slightly unclear. There is hope throughout the project, but it is measured. Instead of rushing toward certainty, Ward allows the music to exist in the middle, grounded, thoughtful, and honest.

The album features collaborations with SAILORR, Smino, and TiaCorine. Singles like CHAMPION SOUND, SMOKIN POTNA, and JUICY introduced the emotional palette of the project, balancing introspection with ease. Rather than chasing big moments, BACKWARD feels comfortable sitting with feeling, letting growth unfold without forcing resolution.

Photographed by RAE BLACKMAN

One of the album’s standout moments arrives with HIGH FUNCTIONING, a track that captures the heart of BACKWARD’s appeal. The song’s composition is fun and fluid, yet deeply relatable, tapping into the experience of keeping things together outwardly while quietly carrying weight underneath. It feels effortless without being careless and honest without being heavy, making it one of the album’s most memorable and replayable tracks.

To mark the release, Ward also shares the video for THEMSELVES. Set in an apartment parking lot, the visual highlights his natural fluidity as a performer, moving between loose choreography and spontaneous motion as his band plays behind him. The visual follows his recent COLORSxSTUDIOS performance of STRANGER, where a stripped back setting placed full focus on the warmth and restraint of his voice.

Ward will bring BACKWARD to the stage next month with his headlining Apartment Tour, kicking off February 18 in Vancouver and traveling through major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and London, with support from Asha Imuno, Nate Curry, Nali, and Planet Giza on select dates. Following the momentum of FORWARD and a year of global touring, BACKWARD feels like a natural evolution. Not a departure, not a destination, but a grounded moment of understanding before whatever comes next.

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