# Sincere (Khalid album)

Sincere is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Khalid. It was released through RCA Records on August 2, 2024. His first studio album release since Free Spirit (2019), the album features a sole guest appearance from English singer-songwriter Arlo Parks, who is featured on the eighth track, "Breathe".
The album's deluxe edition was released on December 6, 2024 and included six new songs, with guest appearances from Normani, Ayra Starr and Chloe Bailey.

## Background and composition

Five years after his second studio album Free Spirit and the mixtape Scenic Drive (2021), Khalid explained that he needed time to understand what kind of artist he wanted to be after his debut at the age of seventeen. In fact, "I wasn't even writing based on my experiences. I took it back to the roots and approached it as if I were debuting as an artist again. It's like going back to the beginning of my journey, but this time with more awareness and knowledge."
The album featured several authors and producers, including Khalid himself, Aldae, Edgar Barrera, Mark London, Psymun and John Hill; the track "Please Don't Fall in Love With Me" samples "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" by Alicia Keys and Drake.

## Release and promotion

On April 5, 2024, Khalid released the lead single of the album, "Please Don't Fall in Love with Me". On June 14, 2024, he released the second single, "Adore U". On July 1, 2024, Khalid announced the album along with its cover art and release date. He released the third single from the album, "Ground", on July 19, 2024. He revealed the tracklist three days later. "Heatstroke" impacted US contemporary hit radio on August 23, 2024 as the album's fourth single.

## Critical reception

Mark Kennedy of Associated Press wrote that the album "is a collection of beautiful harmonies and airy and spare rhythms", loosing the singer's songwriting past works, pointing out that it "just zips along without leaving much of a trace, [...] maybe because the artist is just treading water". Okla Jones of Essence wrote that Khalid "took a minimalist approach with this project", in which "he visits the more tumultuous side of intimacy, which provides listeners with a smooth balance of storytelling throughout the album".

## Track listing

Note
* signifies an additional producer

## Personnel

Musicians
* Khalid – lead vocals
* Gunnlaugur Torfi Stefánsson – bass (track 6)
* Jacek Karwan – bass (track 6)
* Þórir Jóhannsson – bass (track 6)
* Bryndís Björgvinsdóttir – cello (track 6)
* Helga B. Ágústsdóttir – cello (track 6)
* Hrafnhilduur Marta Guðmundsdóttir – cello (track 6)
* Victoria Tarveskaia – cello (track 6)
* SinfoniaNord – concert master (track 6)
* Atli Örvarsson – conductor (track 6)
* Eydís Úlfarsdóttir – viola (track 6)
* Eyjolfur Bjarni Alfreðsson – viola (track 6)
* Guðrún Hrund Harðardóttir – viola (track 6)
* Svava Bernharðsdóttir – viola (track 6)
* Chrissie Telma Guðmundsdóttir – violin (track 6)
* Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir – violin (track 6)
* Gunnhildur Daðadóttir – violin (track 6)
* Guðbjartur Hákonarson – violin (track 6)
* Hlín Erlendsdóttir – violin (track 6)
* Kristján Matthíasson – violin (track 6)
* Marcin Lazarz – violin (track 6)
* Olga Ólafsdóttir – violin (track 6)
* Sigríður Bjarney Baldvinsdóttir – violin (track 6)
* Tomasz Kolosowski – violin (track 6)
* Vera Panitch – violin (track 6)
* Zbigniew Dubik – violin (track 6)
* Zsuzsanna Bitay – violin (track 6)
* Laura Liu – violin (track 6)
* Jef Villaluna – guitar (track 7)
Technical
* Dale Becker – mastering
* Denis Kosiak – mixing, vocal production (all tracks); engineering (tracks 1–3, 6–16)
* Leandro "Dro" Hidalgo – mixing (track 11)
* Cooper Leith – engineering (tracks 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11–13, 15, 16)
* Haukur Pálmason – engineering (track 6)
* Árni F. Sigurðsson – engineering (track 6)
* Katie Harvey – engineering assistance
* Noah McCorkle – engineering assistance (tracks 1–3, 6, 8–11, 14, 15, 16)
* Rubén Castro – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15)
* Daniel Cullen – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 13)
* Stacy Abarca – engineering assistance (track 2)
* Brandon Hernandez – engineering assistance (tracks 4, 5, 7, 12, 13)
* Stephanie D'Arcy – engineering assistance (track 5)
* Nate Mingo – engineering assistance (track 9)
* Jean Paul Quintero – engineering assistance (track 16)

## Charts

Chart performance for Sincere :
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) | 46 |
| Australian Hip Hop/R&B Albums (ARIA) | 11 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) | 174 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) | 82 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) | 71 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) | 27 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP) | 104 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) | 39 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC) | 33 |
| US Billboard 200 | 43 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) | 11 |