Swedish synthpop duo Icona Pop have returned, collaborating alongside American singer-songwriter Daya with a new single “Ritual.” The track, written by Icona Pop and “born from a period of personal struggle, survival, and revelation,” also comes with a new video directed by Gustav Stegfors. It can be found on the duo’s YouTube channel.
The video kicks off with warm VHS fuzz over the video, showing the duo with one tied up by the arms and the other seemingly stuck under a mattress. Energetic beats kick in after a small vocal intro, with some spoken words and high-octane lyrics joining the track as it goes into full gear. The bubbly, high energy anthem is described as capturing “the power of movement, release, and self-reclamation on the dancefloor,” and exploring “the idea of healing through physical and emotional release.” The song is said to be drawn from the duo’s own experiences as well.
“When one of our best friends was going through a crisis, she went to a shaman in New York and searched for answers,” said Icona Pop. “He asked, ‘Do you want to live in your body? It feels cold — you have to dance and eat hot food to bring it back to life.’ It was so vivid that we included it in the song.”
“The last couple of years really put us through a lot — we questioned everything,” they continued. “Now, in retrospect, it really proves how strong our friendship is and the love we have for our band. It would have been so much easier to give up, but we did the work and came out on the other side. It was like we chose each other again, and now we are closer than ever. This song, ‘Ritual,’ really represents what this new chapter is about — that search: Who am I now? How do I move forward? The little rituals you do every day to keep going. For us, it’s a kind of spiritual journey.”
Daya spoke on the collaboration, saying, “‘Ritual’ has such a fresh and inspiring energy, and when I first heard it, I knew I wanted to be on it. It just makes me want to dance and sweat at the club all night. I’m such a fan of Icona Pop and so grateful to the girls for bringing me in on this one. I hope people love it!”
“Ritual” marks the first music release from Icona Pop since 2023’s Club Romantech. While there is little word on future works from the duo yet, they have been confirmed to be joining Meghan Trainor’s Get In Girl Tour series, which begins on June 12th.
Leave a Comment