Paul Heaton Announces New Album Jenius And 2026 UK Arena Tour

Paul Heaton has announced details of his new album Jenius alongside a major UK arena tour set for autumn 2026.

The former The Beautiful South frontman will release the 15-track record on 21 August, with new single Favourite Kind Of Idiot available to stream now.

The album follows 2024’s The Mighty Several and sees Heaton reunite with Ian Broudie, best known as the frontman of The Lightning Seeds.

The pair recorded the project at Blueprint Studios in Manchester alongside Heaton’s touring band and regular collaborator Rianne Downey. Irish singer-songwriter Declan O’Rourke also appears on the track The Whisky Did.

Paul Heaton explains the meaning behind Jenius

Despite the playful title, Heaton said Jenius comes from a long-running personal joke whenever somebody calls him a genius.

“If anybody ever calls me a genius, I always say, ‘What?! With a J?!’ The spelling would obviously be wrong.”

Heaton added that the album explores themes including relationships, loneliness, community life and everyday British culture.

“Love and loneliness, pubs and booze, community and counsel, a nod to football, the state of the nation, and the overall wisdom of kindness.”

“If I can get a variety of people of all sorts of backgrounds to say, ‘Oh, that could be about me or you,’ then I’ve been successful.”

Favourite kind of idiot leads the new album campaign

The album’s lead single, “Favourite Kind Of Idiot”, has arrived ahead of the full release and sets the tone for the record’s lyrical direction.

Heaton described the song as a celebration of imperfection and emotional honesty.

“It’s a love story between two people who see the same fallibilities, the same daftness, in each other.”

“I point out the niceness in not getting things right and not being perfect, especially with ‘You ain’t no beaut/ But I don’t date you for the view…’”

“It’s a song in favour of the idiotic people and how charming they can be… Even though it’s a bit silly, I think it’s probably the most romantic song on the album.”

Paul Heaton confirms UK arena tour dates

Heaton will support the album with a UK arena tour running throughout October and November 2026.

Special guests The Lightning Seeds will join the tour across all dates.

Stops include Co-op Live, The O2, First Direct Arena, OVO Hydro, M&S Bank Arena and Utilita Arena Sheffield.

Tickets go on general sale on 5 June at 9:30am through Ticketmaster UK and Gigs and Tours.

The album will be available digitally, alongside vinyl, CD and cassette editions.