R&B singer Ari Lennox confirmed on Thursday that she will release her third studio album, ”Vacancy”, on Jan. 23, 2026 via Interscope Records, marking her first major project since departing Dreamville Records. In doing so, she formally closes the chapter of nearly a decade with the label launched by J. Cole.
Lennox, born Courtney Salter, first signed with Dreamville in 2015 and issued her breakout studio albums under that banner: Shea Butter Baby in 2019 and Age/Sex/Location in 2022. Her impending release signals a fresh phase in her career.
A Fresh Start for Ari Lennox
“Vacancy” arrives on the heels of her departure from Dreamville, which was publicly reported in April 2025. According to reports, Lennox’s split was amicable—she even performed at the label’s final festival show earlier this spring and thanked Cole and his team onstage.
In announcing the album, Lennox also released the single “Vacancy,” produced by longtime collaborators Jermaine Dupri and Bryan‑Michael Cox. The track, described as a smooth, vintage-inflected R&B song, features Lennox inviting a love interest into her space: “I want you to fill this vacancy / Come through, ooh baby,” she sings.
Lennox’s statement about her split earlier in the year underscored her desire for greater creative control. “What I don’t like is being signed and lied to and manipulated. Not one person at those labels ever knew how to market or protect me,” she wrote last October. Those comments foreshadowed her decision to move fully under Interscope.
With “Vacancy” and the upcoming album, Lennox appears poised to chart new territory sonically and professionally. Reports say the album will lean into doo-wop and retro soul influences, blending classic sounds with her contemporary R&B sensibility.
Industry watchers note that Lennox’s departure from Dreamville may reflect wider shifts in how artists navigate label deals and creative partnerships. For Lennox, the timing comes as she readies what she calls “my first album since leaving Dreamville Records,” a deliberate reset announced loud and clear.