Elle Varner sings to a python in the video for her new song, “Pour Me,” which features a guest appearance by Wale. She straddles a table, snuggling up to the yellow reptile in many scenes of the video, and the snake even slithers over to Wale for one of his raps. “Thinking ’bout you all night for sure, pour me one more,” she sings without missing a beat. The song will appear on her upcoming album, whose title is yet to be announced, due out this spring.
The record has been a long time in the making. Varner released her last record, her debut Perfectly Imperfect, in 2012. At the time, Rolling Stone selected her as an Artist to Watch. Although she spent the years since working on an LP she was calling Four Letter Word, her label, RCA, dropped her before it came out. Nevertheless, in the time since her debut, she was nominated for a Grammy for her song “Refill” and appeared on Chance the Rapper’s Grammy-winning Coloring Book. She’s now signed to 4/4 Sound/Entertainment One. She previously released the song “Loving U Blind,” which will also appear on the upcoming record.
Beyond working on the album, Varner recently performed as part of Black Girls Rock! Fest, which was held at the Kennedy Center, and she will sing at the 2019 Essence Festival this summer.