The almighty Agnes is back. Thank God.
You already know and love the Swedish pop superstar. Lord knows, we go way back. Ever since the global success of “Release Me” (“ReleEASSSEEE meeee…”) nearly 20 years ago, she’s been supplying us with diva-sized vocals and massive dance floor productions, steadily growing more and more avant-garde in recent years. (Mind you, she’s never faltered once.)
Following 2021’s incredible Magic Still Exists (“24 Hours” remains staggeringly good – check out my socially distanced interview with her amid the pandemic), the Veritas powerhouse is now preparing for a whole new era, and it begins with “BALENCIAGA COVERED EYES.”
And yes, fear not: a sixth studio album is on the way.
In fact, we’ve already got a list of very exciting collaborators who worked on the project, including constant collaborators Kerstin Ljungström, Vincent Pontare, Salem Al Fakir, Magnus Lidehäll, Hannah Wilson and Frans Bryngel.
Together, the songwriters and producers have put their magic touch on everything from Madonna‘s “Rebel Heart” (!) to Pussycat Dolls‘ “React” (!), and “crafted a creative environment where the goal was to preserve the original feeling – to let the music retain the nerve from its very first, raw form,” per an official release.
“After my last album, I found some gems – people I really wanted to continue working with. I wanted to keep it to a small group to maintain that intimate feeling this time too. It allowed me to push both myself and others even further. We pushed boundaries and dared to experiment,” Agnes said of her team.
“The upcoming album is about embracing contradictions, showing both strength and vulnerability, and letting go of the pursuit of perfection. Already in the first single ‘BALENCIAGA COVERED EYES,’ we encounter the tension between external glamour and inner fragility – all accompanied by a sneaking beat and house piano,” she went on.
“It all started with an image I saw in my mind: a person in the midst of chaos of luxury, parties, mess, and gazes. Someone who appears confident and glittery on the surface, but where something else is happening inside – behind those ‘Balenciaga covered eyes.’ But the song was also born from a feeling that I wanted to write something I myself want to hear when I go out on a weekend.”
Agnes cites everyone from Róisín Murphy to the art of Mark Rothko as inspiration.
“This time, I wanted everything to be more naked and direct. Instead of building layer upon layer in the production, I wanted to let each element have its space – it should feel rawer and less polished,” she explained.
“That naive joy I felt at the beginning of my career of just being able to sing is still at the core of everything I do. And I’ve come to realize that the most important thing for me is to be in the creative process. That it never ends. There will always be more to express, more to discover.”
If there’s a word to describe the new track, it’s immersive.
Rather than skipping straight to the chorus, Agnes takes us along a dramatic minute-long journey, setting the scene on a glitzy dance floor, with our heroine quietly hurting behind her high fashion glasses. We’re out on the town, looking hot on the outside, feeling sad on the inside. What could be better?
“Behind my Balenciaga covered eyes / In the protection of a dancing crowd / Under the strobe lights and the laser beams / I cry, I cry,” she belts. One of the things I love most about Agnes is the urgency of her voice. Oh, I’ve missed those epic yelps and howls.
And then comes a fierce ’90s strut, which could fit in snugly between some Black Box and Robin S.
“Crystals on crystals on gold-plated walls / City lights and starry eyes and bottles popping off / I’m at some after-after-party / And this place is getting naughty,” she declares. It’s a bit Swedish Renaissance, and a bit “Swinging London Town” (“Swinging Stockholm Town”?), a la Girls Aloud.
Also, loving: “I look damn good in this three-piece / Vintage haute couture, yeah / So sad and so sexy / Come and arrest me.” Not only invoking a fellow Swede (Lykke Li), but looking hot while doing so.
It’s a real tears-on-the-dance-floor anthem, and feels like a tantalizing taste of what’s still to come – no doubt setting the tone for another fabulous night out with Agnes.
Listen to the MuuTunes playlist on Spotify…
Check out the MuuTunes Spotify playlist. You can also subscribe on Apple Music.
This site contains product affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.
