Remi Wolf Turns to Recovery and Folk Sounds on Third Album ‘Mud’
Remi Wolf says her new album Mud is both the saddest and most enjoyable record she has made. After years of nonstop touring, burnout, and a breakup, she began writing in Nashville and later worked with friends in Big Bear, California. The follow-up to Big Ideas moves closer to folk and was built around songs that could be played on acoustic guitar around a campfire.
Mud is Wolf’s third studio album and arrived via Island Records. Its name comes from “Covered in Mud,” and the cover art shows her covered in dirt, reflecting a messy period. She wrote in Nashville for the first time, testing the city’s storytelling-focused approach, then gathered friends in Big Bear, including Jared Solomon. There they rented a house, shared dinners, and completed sixteen songs in a week, among them “I Won’t Cry,” her favorite.
Earlier, after rain canceled her 2025 Bonnaroo performance, her team arranged a Nashville pop-up at Brooklyn Bowl. She performed covers, including Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” with guests such as Gigi Perez, Grace Bowers, Grouplove, Medium Build, Mt. Joy, and Hayley Williams.
Wolf’s turn toward healing and folk could resonate with listeners facing burnout, relationship loss, or creative exhaustion. It may also widen her audience beyond alt-pop, attracting acoustic and folk fans. For touring musicians, the album’s collaborative, rest-centered backstory could offer a model for prioritizing well-being without abandoning ambition. Its campfire-ready songs may encourage more intimate performances and shared listening spaces.