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Detour (Kim Petras album)

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Detour
On the side of a road, Kim Petras stands next to a pink detour sign. Behind her are tire marks and a broken traffic barrier. She is wearing a denim outfit with stars and white boots.
Studio album by
Kim Petras
Released29 May 2026 (2026-05-29)
GenreHyperpop[1]
Length36:38
Labels
  • BunHead
  • Amigo
Producers
Kim Petras chronology
Slut Pop Miami
(2024)		 Detour
(2026)
Singles from Detour
  1. "Polo"
    Released: 27 June 2025
  2. "Freak It"
    Released: 25 July 2025
  3. "I Like Ur Look"
    Released: 14 October 2025
  4. "Need for Speed"
    Released: 22 April 2026
  5. "Jeep"
    Released: 6 May 2026

Detour is the third studio album by German singer Kim Petras. It was released on 29 May 2026, through Amigo and BunHead Records. It was supported by five singles: "Polo", "Freak It", "I Like Ur Look", "Need for Speed", and "Jeep". It is Petras's first independent release since 2020, following her departure from Republic Records in 2026.

Background

[edit]

Petras, who pioneered the hyperpop genre along with fellow trans woman Sophie, released Feed the Beast in 2023, which was unsuccessful commercially and critically.[2] Whilst on a tour promoting it, she told fans she was already working on her next album. In a 2024 interview with Paper she stated that the album was "definitely going to be really different for me".[3] After finding herself churning out pop songs she found uninspiring, she booked nighttime sessions with hyperpop producers Frost Children and Margo XS, with whom she made music inspired by lowbrow electronic dance music.[2]

Prior to the album's release, Petras publicly alleged that her label Republic Records had delayed both the project and its associated singles despite the album having been completed months earlier. In January 2026, Petras posted on X that she had requested to be released from the label due to frustrations over a lack of creative and professional control, and also claimed that a self-funded music video for "Need for Speed" had remained unreleased for more than two months.[4]

Singles and promotion

[edit]

On 27 June 2025, Petras released "Polo" as the lead single, stating it was "the first song that kinda reset all of the music I was working on."[5] "Freak It" was subsequently released on 25 July. Petras released a vertical music video via her social media for the track on 12 November.[6] "I Like Ur Look" was surprise-released on 14 October as the third single alongside a music video.[7] Petras held listening parties for the album in Paris in November 2025 and Los Angeles in March 2026.[8]

After months of label issues and delays, Petras announced an EP titled Pretour in February 2026. Each song would release every week only on her social media, YouTube, and SoundCloud, starting 10 February with "Pop Sound". The four track EP has features from BC Kingdom and Cortisa Star. Petras stated these songs were not on Detour, writing on X, "These songs are what led me to writing Detour, I love them so much but they are their own separate thing." Petras also stated she still did not have a release date for Detour.[9]

Petras left Republic sometime in April and released "Need for Speed" as the album's fourth single on 22 April via her own label, BunHead, and Amigo,[10] followed by its Ashley Hood-directed music video.[11] "Jeep" was released two weeks later as the fifth single. Petras performed the song on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon on 8 May.[12] On 21 May, Petras unveiled the release date and cover for Detour via her social media.[13]

The album was released on 29 May,[14][15] with a music video for the track "Brutalist" the same day.[16] "Brutalist" was inspired by her experiences driving past the Post-Pyramide in Hamburg on her way to appointments for her gender-affirming care.[17] Among the tracks on the album was "Basketball", which dates back to 2019 and was posthumously co-produced by Sophie, who had died in 2021.[18][2]

Music and lyrics

[edit]

"DTLA" and "101" features sexual lyrics and "aggressive" synthesizers and vocal tone. "I Like Ur Look" taps into Y2K nostalgia while "Polo" references social status via fashion.[19] "Brutalist" is about her childhood wounds. "Need for Speed" has a dance-pop sound while "Jeep" sings about the pain of heartbreak over an acoustic melody.[20] On "Korea," Petras sings about her career struggles, twisting the pronunciation of career.[1]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
IZMStarStarStarStar[20]
Pitchfork7.6/10[1]
Riff Magazine10/10[19]
Rolling StoneStarStarStarHalf star[21]
The Needle Drop7/10[22]

Harry Tafoya of Pitchfork rated the album 7.6 out of 10, writing that the album is Petras' "true artistic debut" with her "swerving between noisy club bangers and newly subtle pop gems". Tafoya added that "Brutalist" is her "greatest song to date".[1] Vera Maksymiuk of Riff Magazine rated the album 10 out of 10, writing that the album is her best work and a "catalyst for breaking free".[19] Larisha Paul of Rolling Stone rated the album 3.5 out of 5 stars, writing that she "finds a path forward with new producers and a clear vision for the future of her career".[21]

Park Si-hun of IZM rated the album 4 out of 5 stars. He wrote that while the album embraces contemporary pop music, its self-expression reflects Petras' rebellious spirit. He added that its inclusive "pop sensibility" reveals her maturity as an artist.[20]

Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop gave the album a 7/10. Fantano criticized the album's underdeveloped themes and songwriting, but praised its upbeat production.[22]

Track listing

[edit]
Detour track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Detour"
Frost Children2:36
2."DTLA"
3:20
3."I Like Ur Look"
  • Petras
  • Love
  • A. Prost
  • L. Prost
  • Weiss
  • Wildman
  • Petras
  • Frost Children
  • Margo XS
  • Nightfeelings
2:51
4."Check It"
  • Petras
  • Frost Children
  • Margo XS
  • Nightfeelings
1:51
5."Polo"
  • Petras
  • Altgrandma
  • Love
  • Weiss
  • Wildman
  • Petras
  • Margo XS[p]
  • Nightfeelings
  • Atlgrandma[a]
2:31
6."Brutalist"
  • Petras
  • Maine
  • Weiss
2:57
7."Need for Speed"
  • Petras
  • Love
  • A. Prost
  • L. Prost
  • Weiss
  • Wildman
  • Petras
  • Frost Children
  • Margo XS
  • Nightfeelings
3:15
8."Jeep"
  • Petras
  • Eric Cross
  • Maine
  • Weiss
  • Petras
  • Cross
  • Nightfeelings
  • Porches
  • Margo XS[c]
3:29
9."101"
  • Petras
  • Love
  • Weiss
  • Wildman
  • Frost Children
  • Margo XS
  • Nightfeelings
3:14
10."Basketball"
  • Petras
  • Chris Cummings
  • Johnathan Jean-Luc Pashayan
  • Eric Scroggins
  • Jonathan Simone
  • Sophie
  • Wildman
2:39
11."Bitch Ball Out"
  • Petras
  • Love
  • A. Prost
  • L. Prost
  • Wildman
  • Frost Children
  • Margo XS
2:09
12."Korea"
  • Petras
  • Maine
  • Weiss
  • Wildman
  • Margo XS
  • Nightfeelings
  • Porches
2:40
13."Freak It"
  • Petras
  • Wildman
  • Love
  • Weiss
  • A. Prost
  • L. Prost
  • Petras
  • Frost Children
  • Margo XS[p]
  • Nightfeelings
3:05
Total length:36:38

Notes

[edit]
  • ^[p] signifies a producer and vocal producer.
  • ^[c] signifies a co-producer.
  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer.

Personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from Tidal.[23]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Detour
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[24] 64
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[25] 162
UK Album Downloads (Official Charts)[26]51
US Top Dance Albums (Billboard)[27]15

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 Tafoya, Harry (2 June 2026). "Kim Petras: Detour Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 9 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Rigotti, Alex (2 June 2026). "Kim Petras: "If you think I ruined my life, that's fine – I'm going to write songs about it"". NME. Archived from the original on 2 June 2026. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  3. ↑ Guzman, Ivan. "Kim Petras on Designing Her Dream Ed Hardy Collection - PAPER Magazine". www.papermag.com. Paper Mag. Archived from the original on 21 May 2026. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
  4. ↑ Jones, Damian (21 January 2026). "Kim Petras hits out at record label for 'refusing' to release new album, pleads to be dropped: 'Im tired of having no control'". NME. Archived from the original on 11 February 2026. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  5. ↑ Kelly, Tyler Damara. "Kim Petras returns with new track, "Polo"". The Line of Best Fit. The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 30 October 2025. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
  6. ↑ Stickler, Jon (4 March 2026). "Kim Petras Shares Video for Freak It and Gives Update on Third Album". Stereoboard. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  7. ↑ Perez, Melanie. "Kim Petras - I LIKE UR LOOK". www.flaunt.com. Flaunt Magazine. Archived from the original on 18 February 2026. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
  8. ↑ Gonzalez, Alex (20 January 2026). "Kim Petras Calls Out Label for Allegedly Withholding Her 'Detour' Album". Complex. Archived from the original on 11 February 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "KIM PETRAS ANNOUNCES FEBRUARY "PRETOUR"". XO Diva D. 6 February 2026. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Dailey, Hannah (22 April 2026). "Kim Petras Gambles Away Her Grammy Amid Pressure Her 'Career Is Over' in 'Need for Speed' Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on 23 April 2026. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Stickler, Jon (23 April 2026). "Kim Petras Teases Detour with New Single Need for Speed". Stereoboard. Archived from the original on 7 May 2026. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  12. ↑ Breihan, Tom (6 May 2026). "Kim Petras Shares New Single "Jeep": Listen". stereogum.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2026. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "KIM PETRAS ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE FOR NEW RECORD, "DETOUR"". XO Diva D. 21 May 2026. Archived from the original on 29 May 2026. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "Kim Petras Expresses Some 'Regret' Over Broadcasting Her Gender Transition as a Child: 'Privacy Was Really Blurred'". People. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Wetherill, Jack (29 May 2026). "Kim Petras shares 'regret' over discussing her transition as a child". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 29 May 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  16. ↑ Hess, Tobias (29 May 2026). "Kim Petras's "Brutalist" reflects on her childhood gender transition". The Fader. Archived from the original on 30 May 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "We found Kim Petras's "Brutalist" building in Germany". The FADER. Archived from the original on 9 June 2026. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Farrell, Margaret (29 May 2026). "Kim Petras Takes A Detour Off The Pop Highway". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 5 June 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  19. 1 2 3 Maksymiuk, Vera (28 May 2026). "ALBUM REVIEW: Kim Petras finds direction in disruption on 'Detour'". Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  20. 1 2 3 Park, Si-hun (22 June 2026). "Detour". IZM.
  21. 1 2 Paul, Larisha (3 June 2026). "Kim Petras Gets Back on Track With 'Detour'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 3 June 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  22. 1 2 Fantano, Anthony (11 June 2026). Kim Petras – Detour ALBUM REVIEW. Retrieved 14 June 2026 – via YouTube.
  23. ↑ "Detour / Kim Petras / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  24. ↑ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 8 June 2026". The ARIA Report. No. 1892. Australian Recording Industry Association. 8 June 2026. p. 6.
  25. ↑ "Top 200 Álbuns Semana 23 de 2026" (PDF) (in European Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. p. 3. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart on 5/6/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  27. ↑ "Kim Petras Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
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