Florence Welch Expands Dance Fever Universe with “Mermaids”

Written by Natalie Melendez

Florence Welch — the musical prowess behind the London-based indie rock band, Florence + The Machine — has always been a bit of a siren. With her flowing red hair, bewitching voice, and lyrical themes of human sacrifice and blood, it seems as if the only thing the English singer is missing is a mermaid tail in place of her legs. But that hasn’t stopped the singer from indulging in allusions to the mythological creatures. In her latest release, “Mermaids,” Welch equates drunk English girls (which in her youth, she once was) to blood thirsty mermaids the way she does best: with stunning vocals and an ethereal soundscape. 

“Mermaids” comes less than a year after the release of Welch’s fifth studio album, Dance Fever (2022), but it isn’t a stand-alone track. The song was first written in 2019 as part of the original Dance Fever tracklist, though it was never completed. The final version didn’t come until late 2022/early 2023, after Welch’s UK/EU tour in support of her latest album came to a standstill due to a foot injury. The down time gave Welch and producer Dave Bayley (lead singer of indie pop band, Glass Animals) the opportunity to revisit the song, especially as Welch sat back and watched other girls live the life she once led. 

“The girls glitter striding glorious and coatless in the rain / I remember falling through these streets / Somewhat out of place, if not for the drunkenness,” Welch sings in “Mermaids.” She’s referencing her days of drinking, which enhanced her image as a stereotypical rockstar — always drunk, always partying — but detracted from her personal life. It’s a theme explored in depth throughout the entirety of Dance Fever, a deep dive into Welch’s 15+ years in the spotlight and the sacrifices she has made in pursuit of her career. Drunkenness was one of the ways Welch believed she could enhance her artistry, putting her in a constant state of “cheerful oblivion.”

Welch has been vocal about her substance abuse during the thrashing early years of her career and of her decision to commit to sobriety in 2015. The topic has been especially prevalent in her music since 2015’s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, which largely deals with Welch’s relationship with alcohol and its repercussions. 

Now 2023 marks Welch’s 9th year of sobriety. The singer took to her socials earlier this year to celebrate the milestone, making “Mermaids” a timely addition to the Dance Fever universe. A “Complete Edition” of the album was released the same day as the new track, with “Mermaids” placed right before album closer, “The Bomb.”