Mermaids is a pessimistic track that was just released by Florence + The Machine. The song examines the dreary weather in England as well as the darker aspects of society.
The band combines gloomy instrumentals influenced by dance music with the ethereal vocals of frontwoman Florence Welch in their newest song, which was released earlier today (April 21). It also manages to convey the same vibe of their most recent studio album, which was released in 2022 and was titled Dance Fever.
Florence + The Machine’s Mermaids
The richly layered song, which was produced by Dave Bayley, makes allusions to mermaids who have “sharp teeth” and who emerge late at night to drink, dance, and “sacrifice a human heart.”
The track appears to suggest a darker side of society, possibly drawing from Welch’s nine years of sobriety. Lines like “shining under lights from shitty clubs and doing shitty drugs / And hugging girls that smelt like Britney Spears and coconuts” and “I remember falling through these streets / Somewhat out of place, if not for the drunkenness / It makes my chest hurt to think of it” hint at a past filled with recklessness and a sense of not belonging.
Florence + The Machine have been incredibly busy since the release of last year’s Dance Fever. Florence Welch has expressed her newfound appreciation for TikTok, and the band has covered No Doubt’s “Just A Girl” for Showtime’s hit series Yellowjackets.
They were also featured in a Kelly Clarkson cover song last month. Despite their packed schedule, the band is set to tour through Brazil, Europe, and the UK later this May. Recently, Welch has been teasing a new era that she refers to as her “mermaid” era.
She shared a video of herself floating in a bath, dressed in a mermaid tail, and wrote, “Oh the mermaids have sharp teeth.” Fans can now enter Florence‘s exciting new era with the release of her latest song, “Mermaids.”
The band had been teasing new music on social media for several weeks before releasing the single. On April 6, they posted a reel containing clips from mermaid-themed horror films and informed their fans that “A new song is coming to the Dance Fever universe.”
In subsequent teasers, the band shared the artwork for the single, which was designed by Autumn de Wilde and had similarities to the cover for Dance Fever, leading fans to speculate that the two projects might be linked.
Last year, Welch marked seven years of sobriety with a social media post encouraging those struggling with addiction to persevere and not give up.
“I am 7 years sober today. I send my love and support to anyone who is struggling. If you are feeling shaky around ED issues, drugs or alcohol, I completely understand,” This was the message she shared along with an image of the number seven embraced by a heart. “The desire to disassociate is so strong. But please don’t give up. We are going to need you on the other side.”
During an interview with Evening Standard, the artist discussed her transition into sobriety in 2019. She mentioned that giving up drinking has had a significantly positive impact on most aspects of her life.
However, she did express that being sober during big tours can be a lonely experience. She also added that it’s the people who attend her shows who provide her with the support she needs.
The band had released a cover of No Doubt’s ‘Just A Girl’ last month, which was specifically created for the trailer of the new season of Yellowjackets. The lead singer expressed her excitement by stating, “She is a huge fan of Yellowjackets and the era of music it represents. This song, in particular, had a significant impact on her during her upbringing, and she was delighted to be asked to interpret it in a ‘deeply unsettling’ way for the show.”
