Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna

Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire has released a new single, “Pink Elephant,” in advance of their upcoming album of the same name. The single is the second release off Pink Elephant, following the release of “Year of The Snake” on April 8th. The album is their first since 2022’s We, and is set for a release on May 9th. Previously, the band had played the song during a live show in Mexico. A video for “Pink Elephant” was released on the band’s YouTube channel.

The video is a visualizer, depicting a pink wax candle in the shape of an elephant with eyes shut on a pink background. As the song progresses, the candle slowly melts away, with red streaks of wax occasionally rapidly appearing on the floor below it.

The song begins with soft guitar strumming and steady drumming, alongside vocals from singer Win Butler. The song discusses past events and emotions and the struggle to move on. In a press release, the band stated the song’s title is a reference to how attempts to hide a thought can only make them stronger. “The term “pink elephant” refers to that paradoxical effect where the effort to suppress a thought leads to it being impossible to avoid— as exemplified in the song “Pink Elephant” by the impassioned futility of the repeated refrain of ‘Take your mind off me.'”

In anticipation of the new album, Arcade Fire has been touring to promote Pink Elephant. The band will also be appearing on Saturday Night Live to perform on May 10th.