Swedish pop disruptors Icona Pop are back—and this time they’re bringing along the luminous, Grammy-winning Daya for a bold new track titled Ritual. It’s been a minute since the “I Love It” hitmakers lit up our playlists, but their return feels not only timely—it feels necessary.
“Ritual” arrives wrapped in introspection and resilience. Written during a period of personal upheaval, the track captures a moment of reckoning and rebirth. As Aino and Caroline candidly share:
“The last couple of years really put us through a lot — we questioned everything. 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.”
That renewed bond pulses through every beat. There’s a spiritual undercurrent here too, as they explain:
“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,”
Enter Daya, whose hypnotic refrain—
“You need heat, warmth, touch, you gotta dance your ass off”
—grounds the track in something almost primal. It’s inspired by a striking real-life moment:
Icona Pop shares, “When one of our best friends was going through a crisis, she went to a shaman in New York and searched for answers. 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.”
Visually, director Gustav Stegfors brings that awakening to life, capturing the duo shedding emotional weight and surrendering to the beat—liberation in motion.
Beyond the music, Icona Pop are stepping back from the noise of social media, choosing instead to foster deeper, offline connections. (sign up here) It’s a refreshing pivot—and one that mirrors the ethos of “Ritual” perfectly.
With a slot on Meghan Trainor’s “The Get In Girl Tour” kicking off June 12, the duo are clearly recharged and ready to reclaim their space.
Ultimately, “Ritual” is a statement. A reminder that sometimes stepping away is the most powerful move forward. And when you return, you don’t just pick up where you left off—you arrive stronger, clearer, and fully back in your body.
Connect with Icona Pop
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iconapop/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iconapop/
Connect with Daya
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theofficialdaya
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daya/
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