What Happened to the Beach?

Declan McKenna released his second studio album, Zeros, in September 2020.[1] He embarked on a North American tour in May 2023.[2] The lead single to his then-untitled third record, "Sympathy", was issued on 6 July 2023 alongside a music video.[3] It marks a stylistic departure from his previous music, with McKenna saying to NME: "It’s a bit of a stark introduction to the new world I’ve created; I’ve made a new record that is as probably as different as it could be from my previous albums."[3] The second single, "Nothing Works", was released on 13 September 2023.[4] The same day, What Happened to the Beach? and its release date of 9 February 2024 was officially shared.[5]

Produced by Gianluca Beccellati, What Happened to the Beach? is described as a "guitar-pop heavy record", and will mark a stylistic departure from his previous album, Zeros.[6] In a press release, McKenna cited Unknown Mortal Orchestra and St. Vincent as his biggest inspirations going into recording. Reflecting on Zeros, the singer said he wanted to distance himself from its soapboxing in the new album: "I was putting a lot of pressure on myself in the past when I just needed to drop the intensity a bit and have some fun," he said.[6]