Grammy-winning R&B star Miguel has released his new single “New Martyrs (Ride 4 U).”
Recalling his Kaleidoscope Dream era, the self-penned and produced track is a meditation on love and resistance, both personally and amid systemic inequality. In one sense, he asks a love interest if she will be a ride-or-die, while also asserting, “The love can’t be silent when the system isn’t equal.” At its core, “New Martyrs” is a call to action to show up for love and solidarity with one another.
The cover art for “New Martyrs” is a recreation of the viral photo from surveillance footage of a person believed to be Luigi Mangione, who allegedly shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione was arrested in connection with the December 2024 murder and is currently awaiting trial at a Brooklyn prison.
Since Mangione’s unveiling as the prime suspect, many people online have come out to support him as they believe the act was done as a political statement against the American healthcare system and exploitive corporate practices.
Circling back to “New Martyrs,” it’s the second offering from Miguel’s fifth album, CAOS, which releases Oct. 23 via ByStorm Entertainment/RCA Records. The 12-track album will also include the emotional ballad “Always Time,” which dropped in November 2024.
“This may be the most difficult song I’ve ever had to write — for all of the life lessons and experiences that live between each line,” Miguel explained about the latter track. “I’m grateful for the closure it has given me and know it’s the most honest way to begin this chapter of my artistry and relationship with my audience.”
Regarding CAOS, he noted, “To rebuild, I had to destroy myself. That is the core confrontation of CAOS. Through my personal evolution, I learned that transformation is violent. CAOS is the sonic iteration of me bending that violence into something universally felt.”
Stream Miguel’s “New Martyrs (Ride 4 U)” below.
