Acclaimed pianist and composer Kenny Peagler has announced the forthcoming release of his latest album, We Are Just Human, slated for June 12, 2026. The arrival of the full-length project will be preceded by a strategic sequence of three singles designed to introduce the album’s raw, singer-songwriter landscape.
The campaign begins April 3rd with the debut of "Come Close to Me," followed by the May 1st release of "I Believe."The final single, "Wasn't Meant to Be," will arrive on May 29th, setting the stage for the album’s full debut in June.
We Are Just Human marks a definitive creative evolution for the New England Conservatory-trained artist. Moving beyond the boundaries of traditional jazz, Peagler has crafted a profound meditation on the fundamental experiences of life, love, and loss. The record represents a rare convergence of musical mastery, grounded by a collective of industry titans including Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, Will Lee, Poogie Bell, Lakecia Benjamin, Jimmy Haslip, and the late Dean Brown, whose final recordings lend the project a poignant historical weight.
Mixed and mastered by the legendary Goh Hotoda and “Bassy” Bob Brockman, the album prioritizes an "unplugged," analog truth over modern artifice. "This is music designed to breathe," says Peagler. "It is an invitation to engage with the resonance of a real hammer hitting a string and the stories that bind us together."
Following the success of his 2024 tribute to Billy Strayhorn, Lush Life, Peagler continues his trajectory as an artist in continual motion. We Are Just Human is the first of several major works planned for the coming year, reinforcing Peagler’s conviction that music remains a living exchange between people.
Pre-save for We Are Just Human and the upcoming singles will be available in the coming weeks.