Liv.e & Karriem Riggins announce new album as GENA + share new single
GENA (Liv.e & Karriem Riggins by B+)
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GENA, the new duo from Liv.e and Karriem Riggins, has announced their debut album The Pleasure Is Yours, arriving February 27 via Lex Records. The collaboration first took shape in a series of one-off live performances earlier this year under the mysterious name GENA, including sets at Nublu in New York and the Detroit Jazz Festival. They made it official last month with their first release as GENA, “Circlesz”, which drew early love from outlets including Stereogum, Pitchfork, Pigeons & Planes, and Billboard.
Alongside the album news, GENA has shared a new single, “HOWWEFLOW”, plus an accompanying video directed by Mackai Sharp. A more understated moment in the tracklist, “HOWWEFLOW” leans into the hip-hop DNA that runs through the project, pairing a looped, echoing chorus with the effortless chemistry Liv.e and Karriem lock into when they meet in the middle.
GENA will bring the project to the stage on January 31st with a live show in London at ICA, following early performances in New York and Detroit. Karriem also recently appeared as a special guest during Liv.e’s New York set on Earl’s 3LW tour.
The Pleasure Is Yours captures the spark of a real-time musical conversation between two kindred spirits. Across the album, GENA moves through silky melodies and warm nostalgia for soul, hip-hop, and R&B, while leaving space for futuristic edges and genre alchemy. The record balances analog warmth with an ethereal feel, shaped across virtual sessions and featuring contributions from guest musicians including Isaiah Sharkey, James Francies, and Telemakus.
Watch “HOWWEFLOW” now and stay tuned for more from GENA.
GENA
The Pleasure Is Yours
February 27, 2026
Lex Records
1. Who’s Got a Problem With Gena
2. Theybetterbegladihavetherapy
3. Left The Club Like “Really Nigga!”
4. You’ve Outdone Yourself Today
5. Unspokern
6. TGD
7. readymade
8. Douwannabwithastar
9. This Is So Crazy
10. Lead It Up
11. HOWWEFLOW
12. Doobie Doo Wew
13. Circlesz
14. Dream a Twinkle
15. Thatsmyluvr
16. omo iya ati baba
More about Liv.e:
Liv.e’s musical journey embodies the freedom of experimentation that she first showed with critically acclaimed debut album Couldn’t Wait to Tell You…. Her subsequent followup, the widely celebrated Girl in The Half Pearl marked a breakout year for Liv.e in 2023, receiving praise from Billboard, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Vulture and more, as well as making surprise appearances at last year’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival to join both Earl Sweatshirt and Andre 3000 on stage for their respective sets. Liv.e has continued to tinker with her place in music and has allowed her creative moniker to exist as a conduit for her ideas, most recently venturing into synthwave with her PAST FUTURE.e project released in 2024. Liv.e is currently on Earl Sweatshirt’s Live. Laugh. Love. world tour, joined by ZelooperZ and Cletus Strap, where she has been slowly teasing out GENA songs to fans’ overwhelming praise.
More about Karriem Riggins:
Detroit native Karriem Riggins has solidified himself as one of the most respected drummers and beatmakers in music today. Over the course of his career he has played with and produced for the likes of Common, Erykah Badu, KAYTRANADA, Steve Lacy, The Roots, Madlib, Paul McCartney, Norah Jones and notably formed a close kinship with the late Detroit legend J Dilla. In 2017, Riggins won an Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and lyrics for his work with Common and Robert Glasper on “Letter to the Free” from Ava Duvernay’s film 13th. Most recently, Riggins reunited with Common and collaborated with James Poyser to create “Victory”, the NBA on Prime theme music for the 2025/2026 basketball season and beyond.
