U2 to Release Carnaval De Luz Nov. 13
The album, U2's first new full-length release in nine years, closes with a duet featuring Dolly Parton's final recorded vocals.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Country
U2's new album Carnaval De Luz is due Nov. 13 from Interscope Records and contains 12 tracks. Its final song, "Torn," pairs the band with Dolly Parton, whose vocals for the track were recorded in June before her death on Aug. 25.
Why it matters
The release marks U2's first full-length album of new material in nine years, and it includes a closing collaboration that is Parton's last recorded performance. The project grew out of Bono's approach to Parton about an Irish folk-inspired record.
The album contains 12 tracks and arrives nine years after U2's previous full-length album of new material. Specific commercial projections and first-week sales expectations have not been disclosed.
The players
U2
The Irish rock band has been one of the most commercially successful acts of the past four decades, and this album marks its first full-length set of new material in nine years.
Dolly Parton
The American country music icon was known for a career spanning songwriting, recording and business ventures, and this was her final recorded vocal performance.
Bono
The U2 frontman approached Parton about an Irish folk-inspired project that led to the collaboration.
The details
"Torn" is credited to U2, Dolly Parton, and Johnny McDaid and features pedal steel from Daniel Lanois. Parton recorded her vocals in June, and her team later confirmed she had been battling cancer without disclosing the type.
Timeline
June 2026: Parton records her vocals for "Torn."
Aug. 25, 2026: Parton dies at age 80 at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville.
Nov. 13, 2026: Carnaval De Luz is scheduled for release.
Season Trajectory
Parton previously recorded "My Place in History" in 2015 for the opening of Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and Spa, a commemorative project that is also sealed to open in 2046. The U2 collaboration continues that pattern of late-career recordings tied to lasting public milestones.
The album is due Nov. 13 from Interscope Records, giving listeners a fixed release date for the full 12-track collection. Fans can expect the "Torn" duet to be the closing track on the record.
The takeaway
The closing collaboration preserves a final recorded performance from Dolly Parton, linking her last studio work to a major new release from U2. Listeners interested in her catalog can trace her recording history through commemorative and collaborative projects.
What happens next
The album is scheduled for release Nov. 13, 2026, and the sealed "My Place in History" capsule is set to open Jan. 19, 2046.
Further reading
Explore more Country music coverage for context on Parton's legacy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WKML 95.7.
