Maxwell gives his fans what they want.

Maxwell is actually serious about releasing new music this year. At least, that’s the hope and dream of his loyal fans who have been waiting for fresh material since 2009. However, the falsetto master won’t be alone in his efforts as he has announced that he is readying a special duets EP with Alicia Keys.

“We’re definitely working on an EP that’s sort of Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrrell,” stated Maxwell to Billboard about his special collaboration with Keys. “We got a thing musically. That’s like my little sister. What’s funny is Swizz [Beatz, Keys' husband] is the champion of all of it. He’s like, ‘You guys have a thing when you make music together.’ We had a really successful tour together when she first came on the scene and she’s like family. She’s someone that I trust.”

Yet, before Maxwell and Keys combine their raspy voices on followups to “Fire We Make”, the former has to issue a solo album first. As he revealed to Essence earlier this weekend, that record is near completion and it is scheduled to hit stores by the end of Summer.

“The album’s pretty much about the last day of summer, so I felt like it was a good idea to release it at the end of the summer,” explained Maxwell to Billboard. “It has that bittersweet feel to it. I don’t like things to be too happy. It’s when you go back to school, summer’s over then you kind of have that wonderful week where you get crazy. That’s what the essence of the record is.”

Before we all pass out from the excitement, watch Maxwell perform several of his hits at the 2013 Essence Music Festival below:

“This Woman’s Work”

“Fire We Make”

“Fortunate”

Photo by Essence

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