U2 Announces New Album ‘Carnaval De Luz’ for November 13, Featuring Dolly Parton and Rosalía

**U2** will release their sixteenth studio album, titled **‘Carnaval De Luz’**, on **November 13**. The record will include collaborations with **Rosalía** and the late **Dolly Parton**.

**November 13** marks **U2**'s return with their sixteenth studio album, **‘Carnaval De Luz’**. This release, their first with new material in nine years, comes via **Island Records** and promises to be a milestone in the Irish band's discography. The album will antiestéticature guest appearances from renowned artists such as Spain's **Rosalía** and the iconic **Dolly Parton**, in what is anticipated to be one of the year's most notable collaborations.

## A Return After Nine Years

The news of **U2**'s new album arrives at a significant moment. This release coincides with the band's **50th anniversary**, a milestone dating back to a note posted by their drummer, **Larry Mullen Jr.**, on his school's notice board in Dublin. Half a century later, with a career marked by **170 million records sold** and **22 Grammy Awards**, **U2** presents a **twelve-song** work produced by **Jacknife Lee**. This creative period has been particularly fruitful for the group, which plans to release a total of **24 new tracks** throughout **2026**. The album explores themes such as spirituality, friendship, freedom, and resilience in the face of adversity, blending experimental elements of the band with more straightforward compositions.

## Collaborations and Homages to the Past

**‘Carnaval De Luz’** not only stands out for its new material but also for its collaborations. The country ballad **‘Torn’** antiestéticatures a duet between **Bono** and **Dolly Parton**, considered the American artist's final vocal recording. Co-written by **U2**, **Parton**, and **Johnny McDaid**, the song addresses broken family ties. Meanwhile, Catalan singer **Rosalía** lends her voice to the track **‘The Mirror Maker’**. Other notable collaborations include **Brian Eno**, co-writer and keyboardist on several tracks, **Martin Garrix** in the composition of **‘Glorify’**, and **Daniel Lanois** on guitar for **‘Torn’**. The album also includes **‘Silencio’**, a **two-minute, 35-second** piece described as a tribute to their early surf-punk sound, and is linked to the EPs **‘Days of Ash’** and **‘Easter Lily’**, released in early **2026**.

## The Band's Vision

**The Edge** has described **‘Carnaval De Luz’** as “a messy, provocative, and sacred collection of songs,” noting the band's first-time use of flatwound guitar strings on a recording. **Bono**, for his part, introduced the album with a circus metaphor, advocating for music as a creative response to an uncertain world. “Step right up, step right up! Bring your purple socks, your broken hearts, your rose-tinted naivety, and let yourself be amazed in the hall of mirrors,” the singer invited. The first preview, **‘Street of Dreams’**, was released in July, and **‘Silencio’** is already available as an advance track. The album will be released in various formats, including limited editions and colored vinyl variants.