Roisin Murphy’s new album set for chart success after puberty blocker comments

Roisin Murphy will claim the second spot on the UK albums chart for her new album Hit Parade, released after the Irish singer-songwriter became embroiled in controversy.

The former Moloko frontwoman, 50, was forced to apologise last month after facing criticism for comments that appeared to condemn the use of puberty blockers by transgender children.

According to Planned Parenthood, these are medical treatments that can be used to “help your body better reflect” your gender identity.

“Puberty blockers are f***ed, absolutely desolate, big pharma laughing all the way to the bank. Little mixed-up kids are vulnerable and need to be protected, that’s just true,” she wrote on her personal Facebook page in a post that was screengrabbed and extensively shared.

She later apologised for triggering an “eruption of damaging and potentially dangerous social media fire and brimstone” in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The row was followed by the release of Murphy’s sixth studio album Hit Parade, which has earned rave reviews, including a four-star rating from Helen Brown at The Independent.

Hit Parade will be Murphy’s first UK top 10 album if it continues to strike a chord with fans.

However, Olivia Rodrigo’s album Guts is currently on track to beat her to the number one spot, according to the Official Charts Company.

On Monday, Murphy tweeted: “Hit Parade is out now! And it’s doing really well!! If you are a fan get the physical asap because it’s selling like hotcakes and it’s bound to become scarce and very collectible.”

The album’s success was preceded by Murphy apologising to her fans including those “that are leaving me, or have already left” in the aftermath of her puberty blocker comments.

In her apology on X, she wrote: “I cannot apologise enough for being the reason for this eruption of damaging and potentially dangerous social media fire and brimstone.

“I am so sorry my comments have been directly hurtful to many of you. You must have felt a huge shock, blindsided by this so abruptly.

“I understand fixed views are not helpful but I really hope people can understand my concern was out of love for all of us.

“For those of you that are leaving me, or have already left, I understand, I really do, but please know I have loved every one of you.

Murphy said she would now “completely bow out of this conversation within the public domain”, adding that her true calling is music and that “will never exclude any of us”.

Murphy began her musical career with producer Mark Brydon as one-half of the electronic duo Mokolo.

They were known for The Time Is Now, a remix of Sing It Back and Familiar Feeling, before Murphy went solo.

She was nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2015, earning a nod for her album Hairless Toys featuring hits such as Gone Finishing, Evil Eyes, and Unputdownable.

Additional reporting by agencies.