Florence + The Machine have released a dark and dancey new single entitled “Mermaids.” Stream the song below.
With lyrical references to mermaids with “sharp teeth” who come to drink, dance, and “sacrifice a human heart,” the song’s sinister underbelly is contrasted by the angelic beauty of singer Florence Welch’s legendary vocal cords. Cool and confident, she delivers the poetic lines with a similar meter and punch as one of her biggest inspirations, Iggy Pop. When the refrain of “cheerful oblivion” arrives, you can’t help but get caught up in the reflective madness.
The release of “Mermaids” comes after several weeks of teasing the song on social media. On April 6th, the band posted a reel featuring edited-together clips from mermaid-themed horror films with the caption “A new song is coming to the Dance Fever universe,” referencing their celebrated 2022 LP. Then, on April 10th, the band posted a video of Welch strutting in front of a perfectly English gray and green backdrop, lip syncing to the single’s lyrics.
The next day, April 11th, the band unveiled the single’s artwork (designed by Autumn de Wilde), which fits the aesthetic palette they embraced with Dance Fever, further suggesting a link between the two projects. A few more teasers followed, and now, on April 21st, the song has finally arrived.
While some fans have speculated whether the new song is related to the upcoming Little Mermaid or not, Welch has been outspoken about her love of mermaids in the past. In 2011, she performed a portion of “Part of Your World” during a video interview with Elle, and referred to singing the song as her “dream.” Last year, she alluded to “wanting to be a mermaid” for as long as she could remember.
So, the idea that Welch would jump at the chance to contribute to the soundtrack for the Little Mermaid makes sense… and it wouldn’t be the first time Florence + The Machine has participated in such a project. Earlier this year, they covered No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” for the Showtime drama Yellowjackets. Their iconic 2009 hit “Dog Days Are Over” was also used in the soundtrack for the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
