Florence + The Machine, a band I fully believe was sent from the cosmos above, has already brought me to my knees and has left me yearning for more. I’ve been eagerly waiting for new material since 2018 so when I tell you I leaped out of my skin as soon as I learned of a new single... my soul damn near left my body.
King is the first single to launch Florence + The Machine into their brand new era. A brand new chapter in the making that’s already setting the bar to the highest stratosphere. King, a song that will have you proclaiming at the top of your lungs, “I AM NO MOTHER, I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING.” Pretty much sticking it to the man and saying “f*ck the patriarchy.” We live in a world where societal standards for women have always been, “To be known as someone's wife or someone’s mother.” The idea of being seen as basically someone's property has never sat right with me. I wholeheartedly believe a woman should be known for more than her "expected gender role." The way Florence lays her heart out on a silver platter and poetically speaks with such ferocity leaves me breathless. Time and time again, I'm covered in shivers from head to toe with tears brimming in my eyes.
“But a woman is a changeling, always shifting shape
Just when you think you have it figured out
Something new begins to take
What strangе claws are these scratching at my skin
I nеver knew my killer would be coming from within
I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King
I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King.”
“I need my golden crown of sorrow, my bloody sword to swing
I need my empty halls to echo with grand self-mythology.”
If you listen to Florence’s entire discography (or even a song or two), you can tangibly feel the raw passion and intensity she conveys through her craft. There's an ethereal nature about her that engulfs you from the moment she opens her mouth to sing. Florence strikes a chord within her listeners and makes them feel like she's reading their innermost thoughts. When in all actuality, she's inviting us all into hers. Music is her greatest form of expression and her greatest love. In King, she wrestles with the lingering thoughts of having to sacrifice her career for a domesticated way of living. The monumental battle between family versus ambition. This hauntingly beautiful track will empower you to view yourself as a King. A divine being.
Director Autumn De Wilde and Florence are an absolute match made in heaven. The first time I watched the music video for King, I was entranced. The way my eyes never left the screen and were fixated on the magic taking place in front of me. I wish that I could rewatch it for the first time, and relive the emotions all over again.
King is a cinematic and lyrical masterpiece.
Do you know what excites me the most? This is only the beginning.
I'm ready to make this upcoming Florence + The Machine album my entire personality for the next century.