Free (Florence and the Machine song)
"Free" is a song by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine. It was released on 20 April 2022 as the fourth single from the band's fifth studio album, Dance Fever (2022) through the record label Polydor Records. "Free" was written and produced by Florence Welch and Jack Antonoff. "Free" is an urgent pop song that lyrically discusses the singer's problems with anxiety and traumas. She has said it was the last song she wrote before the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Free"
A music video for the song directed by American director Autumn de Wilde was filmed in Kyiv, Ukraine in November 2021 and was released on 20 April 2022. It stars British actor Bill Nighy who portrays the singer's anxiety and features the two next to each other portraying the emotions the song discusses. It received positive comments from critics who lauded the storyline.
Background and release[edit]
During an interview with Apple Music, Welch described the process of conception of the song: "Ironically, 'Free' was actually the last song I wrote before the first lockdown[...] It's a song about my anxiety and how I process it and this feeling that it's just something that's been with me my whole life, and even as my life stabilizes ... when I'm playing or I'm making music or I'm in the flow of creativity [the anxiety] goes away, so it's kind of this push-and-pull throughout the song of the anxiety, and then taking it out of the way and dancing and feeling free."[2] The song premiered on BBC Radio 1's Future Sounds on 21 April 2022.[3]
The single was released through the band's record label Polydor Records digitally on 20 April 2022.[4] A remix made by American DJ The Blessed Madonna was also made available for sale.[5]
Composition[edit]
"Free" is a pop song which contains an "urgent" sound that is primarily driven by synths-and-guitar. Music critic Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic musically described its sound as "Antonoff's band Bleachers taking on an early-aughts Bloc Party or Strokes number".[6] Lyrically, the song describes a protagonist who is feeling "overwhelmed" by the outside world and describes Welch's experience of finding freedom in her music.[7] It was musically compared to the band's earlier singles "Dog Days Are Over" (2008) and "Shake it Out" (2011).[8]
Reception[edit]
Commercial performance[edit]
On the UK Singles Chart, "Free" debuted and peaked at number 66 for the week ending 29 April 2022.[9] "Free" peaked at number 66 on the Irish Singles Chart in June 2023.[10]
Live performances[edit]
The song was performed live by the band during a warm-up concert at a warm-up show in New York City.[15] On 20 May 2022, the band appeared on BBC One's The One Show where they performed "Free".[16] The same month, they also performed a televised appearance of the song at Audacy Live.[17] On 3 June 2022, the band appeared at Sirius XM where they performed the song along with "My Love".[18] On 18 June 2022, the song was performed on Later with Jools Holland.[19]