Juniper (Joy Crookes album)

Juniper
Studio album by Joy Crookes
Released	19 September 2025 (2025-09-19)
Length	41:17
Label	Sony Insanity Speakerbox
Producer	Chrome Sparks Joy Crookes Harvey Grant Blue May
Joy Crookes chronology
Skin (2021) Juniper (2025)
Singles from Juniper
"Pass the Salt" Released: 10 January 2025 "Mathematic" Released: 5 February 2025 "I Know You'd Kill" Released: 20 March 2025 "Carmen" Released: 16 May 2025 "Perfect Crime" Released: 18 June 2025 "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

Review scores
Source	Rating
DIY	[2]
The Line of Best Fit	8/10 [3]
The Guardian	[4]
Clash Music	8/10 [5]

The album received widespread acclaim on its release. DIY Magazine hailed Juniper as "a testament to Joy's inner strength," blending R&B, soul, and jazz to explore love, mental health, and identity. Alexis Petridis of Guardian praised the album as "a masterclass in storytelling" with "lush, cinematic arrangements" that elevate her soulful voice. He called it "an ambitious, emotionally rich record" that confirms Crookes as "one of the UK's most compelling artists."

Clash praised Juniper as "a bold, beautiful, and deeply personal record," showcasing Joy Crookes' "unflinching honesty" and "vocal prowess." The review highlighted her ability to "balance vulnerability with strength," making the album "a triumph of self-expression."The Line of Best Fit called Juniper "a soul-baring triumph," where Joy Crookes "lays herself bare with poetic precision." Her voice is described as "rich and resonant," anchoring an album that's "as vulnerable as it is defiant."

Track listing

Juniper track listing ^[6]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Brave"	Joy Crookes Nathan Allen Sam Beste Alex Bonfanti Graham Godfrey Blue May Steve Pringle Junior Williams	May	3:54
2.	"Pass the Salt" (featuring Vince Staples)	Crookes Jonny Lattimer Barney Lister Vince Staples	May Harvey Grant [a]	2:47
3.	"Carmen"	Crookes Elton John Lattimer Bernie Taupin	May Crookes	3:02
4.	"Perfect Crime"	Crookes Lattimer Ntuthuko Nhlumayo	Crookes Grant May [a] Emil Labri [a] Ricky Damian [a] Tev'n [a]	2:32
5.	"Mathematics" (featuring Kano)	Crookes Beste Lister Matt Maltese Kane Robinson	May	3:18
6.	"House with a Pool"	Crookes Beste Lattimer Lister	May Tev'n [a]	3:29
7.	"I Know You'd Kill"	Crookes Lister Joel Pott	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	May	3:29
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	May Bonfanti [m]	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 '". ^[7]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. ^[6]

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 (OCC) [8]	10
UK Albums (OCC) [9]	13

References

1. "Joy Crookes announces second album, 'Juniper'". DIY . 23 May 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
2. Lawrence, Ife (19 September 2025). "A testament to Joy's inner strength". Dork. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
3. Lana, Williams (19 September 2025). "Juniper is Joy Crookes laying her soul bare". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
4. "Joy Crookes: Juniper review – sadness made sublime by streetwise soul and snappy wit". The Guardian . 18 September 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
5. Min Leong, Rachel. "Joy Crookes – Juniper". Clash Music. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
6. "Juniper / Joy Crookes / Credits". Tidal . Retrieved 5 October 2025.
7. 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.
8. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
9. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 October 2025.