After a five-year break from music, Teyana Taylor is staging a powerful return—not just with an album, but with a full-scale visual experience. The singer, dancer, and director has spent the past few years expanding her influence in the film industry, building a résumé that now includes critically acclaimed performances and collaborations with major Hollywood names.
Her role in the 2023 independent film A Thousand And One marked a turning point, earning her serious attention as a dramatic actor. She has since landed a role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming film One Battle After Another opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. Taylor is also appearing in Straw, a new Netflix thriller from Tyler Perry starring Taraji P. Henson, as well as The RIP, a crime drama produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. She’s previously confirmed her involvement in a biopic about music icon Dionne Warwick.
Now, Taylor is channeling her artistic momentum back into music with Escape Room, a new audio-visual project set for release this August via Taylormade Enterprises/Def Jam. It’s her first album since 2020’s The Album and marks a significant creative shift. The project, which includes a short film, explores themes of heartbreak and resilience, likely inspired by her divorce from former NBA player Iman Shumpert.
The film’s trailer premiered last week and follows a loosely fictionalized version of Taylor, portrayed through a narrative that features actors Lakeith Stanfield and Aaron Pierre. In the story, Taylor’s character navigates a fractured relationship and the emotional aftermath, hinting at real-life parallels.
The lead single “Long Time,” released today, serves as the thematic centerpiece. Musically, it bridges gritty club rhythms with lush R&B arrangements, moving from anger to sorrow in a two-part structure. The first half pulses with frustration, anchored by the refrain: “Shoulda been walked out this bitch a long time.” The second half turns inward, revealing vulnerability as she sings, “You said you would love me ’til you die / But I guess love must be a lie.”
Visually, the “Long Time” video continues Taylor’s bold creative streak. It’s a stylized, emotionally intense short, featuring scenes that range from symbolic violence to raw confession. Fire, blood, and fashion all play into a story that balances theatrical flair with personal reckoning.
With Escape Room, Taylor is entering a new phase of her artistic career—one defined not just by performance, but by vision. Whether on screen or through song, she’s making it clear she has more to say—and the means to say it her own way.
