Still Over It is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Summer Walker. It was released through LVRN and Interscope on November 1, 2021. The album contains guest appearances from Cardi B, JT from City Girls, SZA, Ari Lennox, Lil Durk, Pharrell Williams, Omarion, and Ciara. On the two-year anniversary of her debut studio album, Walker announced the release of Still Over It through a video teaser.
A direct follow-up to Walker's debut album, Over It (2019), Still Over It is considered a "story," exploring Walker's tumultuous relationship with producer London on da Track before, during, and after her pregnancy. Each song is aligned to a timeline starting from August 4, 2019 to October 7, 2021. The album shares a contemporary R&B appeal with 2000s R&B, neo soul, and trap elements throughout.
Upon release, Still Over It garnered widespread acclaim from music critics and appeared on numerous year-end lists. Critics particularly commended the album's cohesiveness and introspective lyrics and deemed it Walker's best album to date. Also a commercial success, the album broke the record for most album streams in a single day by a female artist on Apple Music. It debuted atop the US Billboard 200, becoming Walker's first number-one album, and the highest charting album from a female R&B artist since Beyoncé's Lemonade (2016). The lead single "Ex for a Reason" featuring JT from City Girls was released on October 15, 2021.
Background and recording
Following the release of Over It, Walker released their EP, Life on Earth on July 20, 2020, and surprised fans after announcing their pregnancy with then-boyfriend and executive producer of Over It, London on da Track. After giving birth to their daughter in March 2021, the singer hinted at new music on their social media platforms. In June, Walker shared photos in the studio with artists Omarion, SZA, and producer Pharrell Williams. In early October, Walker intended on appearing at the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards' red carpet to announce their second album. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions (which Walker had been vocal about two months earlier), they were uninvited. Therefore, they shared the album announcement on social media, revealing the details outside on a projector.
Concept
Still Over It is a sequel, or direct follow-up, to Walker's Over It in 2019. Prior to Walker's publicized break-up with producer London on da Track and giving birth to their daughter, Walker became the face of social media controversy regarding their relationship. According to Walker, the album is considered a "story". The singer revealed the album's tracklist which is organized as a timeline, with its 20 tracks starting from August 4, 2019, to October 7, 2021. The dates hint at when the songs were either written, recorded, or developed, but symbolically represent the timeline after the success of Walker's debut album.
DeAsia Page of Pitchfork described Still Over It as a "journey through a messy and complicated breakup", which is directly based on Walker's relationship with the producer. According to an exclusive message Walker provided for Apple Music, Walker described the album as a reflection of their mistakes. Walker writes, "You don't have to guess if something is love. Love is shown through actions. Stop making excuses for people who don't show up for you. Don't ignore the red flags. And don't think you have to stay somewhere 'cause you can't find better—you can and you will. Don't settle for less—you don't deserve it and neither does your family."
Cover artworks
On October 25, Walker revealed two official album covers on their social media platforms. The main artwork, which is for the physical release, displays Walker holding her daughter while on the phone in the kitchen. The digital artwork features Walker in a car with her hand towards the camera, fending off paparazzi. The physical artwork was photographed by Deun Ivory, while the digital artwork was taken by photographer Rolex, who notably shot the artwork for their 2020 EP, Life on Earth and singer Bryson Tiller's third album Anniversary.
Music and lyrics
Still Over It opens with a "hazy stream of consciousness" as the track "Bitter" addresses Walker's social media feuds with the mothers of producer London on da Track's children, which she had addressed on her platforms months prior. At the end of the song, Cardi B expresses her support of Walker, encouraging her to address her pregnancy in her music. The album transitions into the second track and lead single "Ex for a Reason", an uptempo 2000s-inspired R&B track produced by Sean Garrett. The song conveys "emotions behind dating someone that's moved on from a past relationship."