In the aftermath of the release of previous studio album The Album, Taylor announced her retirement from music in 2020 and subsequent pivot to creative directing for other artists after label strife.[5][6] Taylor decided to return to music in early 2025 after an acrimonious, public divorce from Iman Shumpert and the signing of a new distribution deal with Def Jam Records.[7][8]
Speaking on her new project to Variety, Taylor explains, “Escape Room isn’t just a film or an album, it’s a world I built to live in, bleed in, and heal in. I poured my heart into every layer, from the story to the sound, to capture that journey we all take through the shadows of heartbreak, whether that’s love lost, friendships broken, dreams deferred and guide you toward the lightness of healing.”[9]
Clash described the project as a "chart[ing of] the aftermath of Taylor's divorce and her awakening after a period of creative ennui."[10] Also described as "downcast", the album was compared to Janet Jackson's trademark album Velvet Rope in its interior sermonizing, slinky grooves and interlude-heavy, episodic feel."[10]
The album was met with acclaim. In a positive review from Rolling Stone, the album is celebrated by reviewer Meagan Jordan: "The irony of Escape Room, is that it's not about Taylor running away from her hurt, but rather toward it. It's a meditation of what liberation can be in love and life. Escape Room challenges its listeners to understand that healing — be it heartbreak or bodily injury — is sometimes best done among your tight-knit community, where those who love you best remember the pieces of your soul, putting them back together again. Throughout the project, Taylor leans on her creative peers, her new love interest, and her children to hold her up as she offers a new expression of her authenticity in this moment. She is not bound to her past or your societal presumption and/or expectations. As she has shown in her recent departure from music and potent return, her liberation comes from her mutability and power to change her mind whenever she is presented with new feelings and ideas. Junie said it best: “Thank you for coming back to music.” Welcome home Tey — to the place within yourself and the new chambers in our hearts."[2]
Reviewing the album for Clash, Shahzaib Hussain stated, "Escape Room reverberates with cinematic flair and curatorial focus, but its true strength lies in Taylor's understanding of the RnB rhapsody through time; the love song that is most effective when it's spare and submerged. For this reason, Escape Room is as necessary as anything Teyana Taylor has ever recorded."[10]
In a more mixed review from Kyann-Sian Williams of NME, the album was considered yet another situation in Taylor's career where she has been shadowed by unrealised potential. Instead of "reclaiming the spotlight", Williams writes, the project is "more about survival."[11]
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 67 on the US Billboard 200, number 17 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and number 6 on the component Billboard R&B Albums chart with 14,500 units sold.
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