Lykke Li Releases Single Knife In The Heart

Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li released her new single "Knife In The Heart" on Friday, marking the second preview from her upcoming sixth studio album, The Afterparty. The track arrives ahead of the album's May 8 release through Neon Gold Records and Futures, following last month's single "Lucky Again."

The song features a haunting blend of mournful EBow sounds, eerie orchestration, and an anthemic chant chorus, creating a hypnotic and immersive soundscape. Li collaborated with longtime producer Björn Yttling on the project, writing the lyrics in Los Angeles and recording in Stockholm with a 17-piece string orchestra. Children's voices, including those of Li's son and his friend, provide the choruses, adding a poignant juxtaposition to the droning textures and elements like whistles, claps, and bongos. A simple lyric video accompanies the release, featuring a white background and black sans-serif font to emphasize the music.

In a statement, Li described the track as "my brutalist nursery rhyme anthem, the emo girl in me fully unleashed." She elaborated on its creation and emotional core: "I had my son and his friend sing the choruses because the juxtaposition of their voices...