Caro will release her new solo album “Returning to Innocence” in October, following the release of the fab new single, “The Guy Bangs” which is out now.
Known to the world as the voice of Caro Emerald, she now also creates as simply, Caro. From Glastonbury to Sziget, and from Tokyo to Los Angeles, Caro has played hundreds of shows and sold millions of records worldwide.
She broke chart records in the Netherlands, surpassing “Thriller” in weeks at # one. Later, with ” The Jordan”, she reintroduced herself with a darker, more introspective sound.
But Caro, has always been Caro. Her voice – unmistakable, timeless, international, carrying both elegance and raw humanity – has been there through every evolution. Now, under her own name, she creates something new: alt-pop that draws from 80s pop, 90s ballads, and classic r&b, with a sound that feels both ancient and unapologetically now.
“Returning to Innocence” marks a return to creative essence – a confident and fully realised body of work on her own terms. Following singles “I Can’t Win”, “Greatness” and “Call The Shots”, the current track, ‘The Guy Bangs” is yet another glimpse into the project’s expansive sound. The 14-track album is a bold and genre-fluid pop record that reflects Caro’s artistic range and independence.
Born Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw in Amsterdam in 1981, this is her most vulnerable work to date, a deeply personal exploration that reflects on womanhood, both how it’s lived and how it’s imagined. Through groove-driven alt-pop with sacred choirs, it questions and redefines traditional roles assigned to women, offering a modern vision that embraces the full spectrum of the feminine.
This is an album about permission: to be fallible and divine, hungry and humble, strong and vulnerable all at once. Caro excavates the archetypes living within every woman, the mother, the child, the mistress, the warrior. These aren’t separate women; they’re one woman, fully realized.
The sound is both vintage and futuristic synthesizers and layered vocals create infectious, memorable pop built on diverse grooves from r&b to breakbeat to rock, moving fluidly between old-school soul and modern edge.
Think: the emotional depth of Lorde, the sonic adventurousness of Frank Ocean, the atmospheric spirituality of Enigma, synthesized into something timeless. “Returning to Innocence isn’t about finding innocence again,” Caro explains. “It’s about accepting that everything, the beautiful and the uncomfortable, is part of who I am.” The album is released on 9th October 2026.
- Caro’s headline shows: Nine-date Dutch theatre tour in October 2026, plus November shows in Milan, Paris and Berlin, before two shows in London( 28th Nov) at Ronnie Scott’s.
Caro’s Track Record
1. First single you owned?
I don’t remember ever owning a single, I went to full albums straight away.
2. First LP/album you owned?
“Madonna” on a cassette tape.
3. First CD you owned ?
I think it was something really lame, like the best of ‘91 or something. I was 11 at the time. My favorite track on it was “Sing Hallelujah” by Dr. Alba, which made me feel that dance floor high for the first time.
4. Last music you bought and in what format (CD/vinyl/digital download)?
I bought Nirvana: “MTV Unplugged” on vinyl for my collection, as it is an album I used to listen to a lot during my teenage years.
5. Favourite album? (Choose more than one if need be… )
There’s so many to choose from and also for such different reasons. Let’s just name a few then: Mariah Cary: “MTV Unplugged”, Portishead: “Dummy”, “Undiscovered” by James Morrison, “Born to Die” by Lana Del Rey, “Ill Communication” by Beastie Boys, “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse.
6. Anything unusual or perhaps unexpected in your music collection?
There’s an album by Gravediggaz that’s a favorite of mine, called “6 Feet Deep”. It’s a concept album made by a few members of the Wu Tang Clan about death. It’s quite morbid and funny at the same time. I have listened to this album endlessly.
7. Which song or album is a guaranteed mood booster?
Disclosure: “You & Me” Flume Remix.
8. Your favourite driving track – or music to exercise to?
To exercise to: “Out of Space” by The Prodigy.
9. Which song takes you back to your childhood – and to which specific memory/memories?
“My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean”. We used to sing it while doing the dishes with the whole family. My dad had a thing for traditional songs like these. My mom (sic) was very musical and taught us how to sing harmonies on top, so we’d sing three-voiced like the Kelly Family!
[The Kelly Family are an Irish-American group of siblings who sing folk, pop and rock across Europe, and have sold more than 20 million records].
10. Favourite band (or bands)?
Again, hard to name one, but because they have influenced me hugely: The Jackson 5.
11. Favourite singer (or singers)?
My favorite voice: Rihanna.
12. Which song would you like played at your funeral?
“The Circle of Life” from the movie The Lion King, sung by a big live choir.
Photos by Josiematography
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