By Robyn Seltzer
Staff Writer
Carly Rae Jepsen released her new album, “Day and Night,” on Sept. 18, where she delighted millions of fans with comforting yet exploratory tracks. Her updates from the last few years came in the form of 24 songs, making this album her longest body of work to date.
Jepsen breaks down the album’s vibe into two themes: day, which is made up of the first 12 tracks, and night, which is represented by the other 12 in the second half of the album. The “day” part of the album embodies sweet, summertime sounds, while the “night” half reflects after-hours scenes set in her current home of Los Angeles, all while highlighting the joy she feels as a new mother and the love she has for her family.
While many only know Jepsen from her 2012 hit “Call Me Maybe,” the Canadian singer-songwriter has had a steadily successful career, in which she has balanced being an artist with her life outside of the music industry.
“Where I’ve landed now in my career is the sweet spot,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I can live a life, go to the grocery store, have a family, tour music that I love and have an audience.”
Before she introduced her new era, Jepsen wiped her Instagram account clean and started posting seemingly random pictures onto her profile. Beginning on June 10, she posted about two pictures per day with cryptic captains that fans tried hard to decode, speculating that new music was on the way. Sure enough, Jepsen announced “Day and Night” after posting the 24 pictures, which were later revealed to represent each of the songs on the album. With the announcement, Jepsen informed her followers that the project was a double album and that she “couldn’t be more proud.”
The first single for “Day and Night” was “On Wires,” which was released on June 26. It features new sonics and a gripping hook that lures listeners in. Jepsen told Billboard, “I hadn’t really done anything quite like ‘On Wires’ before, and I think, you know, as a musician who’s been in this for a while now, that’s so exciting to land on, like, a new genre to play with that maybe you haven’t dabbled in before and to figure out how to make it your own.” This song is on the “day” half of the album, and its enthusiastic backing vocals and electric guitar make it the perfect anthem for walking under the sun.
Though this is her first official double album, Jepsen is no stranger to releasing as many songs as she can for an era. Starting in 2015, Jepsen had three rounds of back-to-back albums, often calling the second installments “Side B” and featuring similar artwork to the album from the year before. Her first was “Emotion,” followed by “Emotion: Side B” in 2016. In 2019, she launched “Dedicated,” followed by 2020’s “Dedicated Side B.”
After “The Loneliest Time” and “The Loveliest Time” in 2022 and 2023 respectively, and becoming progressively blonder, Jepsen took a slight step back from the spotlight to perfect “Day and Night” and be with her family. In March 2026, she welcomed her first child. Fans were in awe as Jepsen acted her heart out in new music videos “On Wires” and “After All” while featuring her baby bump and fiery new orange hair.
Another music video Jepsen released with the album, titled “Motivation,” featured her son, but also told an important story for many fans. The video follows a cast of people with different ethnicities and sexualities, living their lives and smiling in an array of cities. Jepsen is no stranger to uplifting her diverse audience in her songs and at her concerts, and celebrates those from different backgrounds and the LGBTQ+ community in this inspiring video.
“We love hard in this family,” she sings in the song. “I’m in love with my family, we’ve got room for insanity.” These lyrics have already had an impact on people, with one listener commenting, “This song is going to be a pillar of the community forever. It’s actually surreal listening to a classic on the first day of its release.” As a part of the “night” side of the collection, “Motivation” features synth sounds and drum beats that one may hear at a Los Angeles night club, perfect to dance and sing to as the sun sets.
It is clear through this video, as well as all 24 tracks, that Jepsen is not shying away from sharing her voice, even if she chose to avoid being mainstream. At age 40, when many pop singers are forced to put down their microphones, Jepsen is at a new height in her career, with future projects and aspirations in the works. In August, it was announced that Jepsen would be joining Ethan Gruska as a songwriter for the new musical adaptation of “10 Things I Hate About You,” coming to Broadway August 2027.
In addition to this huge pillar in Jepsen’s career, Jacob Tierney, who brought “Heated Rivalry” to television screens, revealed that he wanted to ask Jepsen to write a song for the series, but the budget was too low at the time. After season one blew up, Jepsen heard what Tierney had said about his aspirations for the show, and the singer said that writing an original song for season two would be “a dream” for her. Her own community of fans reflects the values of love and acceptance shared in “Heated Rivalry,” and Jepsen revealed that she named her son Ilya, possibly because of the show.
While some may still consider her a one-hit wonder, it is clear that Jepsen is not planning on stopping anytime soon. With many exciting upcoming projects and fans speculating a tour announcement soon, there is no telling where the unstoppable force that is Jepsen will end up.
