Florence + The Machine is back and boasting major King vibes
Hilversum, Netherlands – It's a good day when Florence + The Machine releases new music, but it's a great day when its accompanied by a hauntingly poetic music video.
There's something about lead singer Florence Welch's vocals – and her presence – that strikes a chord deep in your soul.
You can always count on the lyricism of a Florence + The Machine song to be next level, and the band has made musical magic once again with their latest single, King.
Full of juxtapositions and irony, the lyrics tell the tale of a woman trying to find her place in a man's world, only to realize the world isn't as black and white as those pushing gender norms might like to believe.
With lyrics such as, "I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King," followed by, "But a woman is a changeling, always shifting shape. Just when you think you have it figured out, something new begins to take," it's clear that Welch and her fellow songwriters began to question what it actually means to be a woman.
In a statement about the single, Welch said, "As an artist, I never actually thought about my gender that much," adding, "I was as good as the men and I just went out there and matched them every time. But now, thinking about being a woman in my thirties," she said, "I suddenly feel this tearing of my identity."
She continued, "I had modeled myself almost exclusively on male performers, and for the first time I felt a wall come down between me and my idols as I have to make decisions they did not."
Florence Welch is King
Every Florence fan knows that the song is only half of the artistry. The other half stems from their vivid, imaginative, and often haunting music videos, such as that for King.
Clad in a fuchsia dress with a matching hooded cape, Welch parades around various settings with dancers following her every move in the Autumn de Wilde-directed video.
From floating above ground, witch-style, to snapping a man's neck and crowning herself as King, Welch truly exemplifies what it means to follow your desires – whatever they might be.
This marks Florence + The Machine's first time releasing new music since their 2018 album, High as Hope.
Though the band has yet to announce a forthcoming album, it's likely one is on the way.
Cover photo: Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/florence