Jessie Ware and Romy have released a new track, ‘Lift You Up’. Check it out below.
READ MORE: Romy on being back in the studio with The xx: “We’re up for trying new things but it sounds like us”
Ware brought Romy on to perform the track during her headline slot on Glastonbury 2024’s West Holts stage last night (June 29) and the pair have now released it as a single.
A euphoric slice of disco-infused house, ‘Lift You Up’ is Ware’s first new music since last year’s ‘Hello Love’, while Romy last released ‘Always Forever’ at the end of May. “Now, I’m gonna lift you up inside this feeling/Now, I’m gonna give you something to believe in,” they sing together in the chorus, their friendship shining through.
“I was so excited to be in the room with my friend and to see how she works and to hear her beautiful voice,” said Ware at her Glastonbury set. “I’m so proud of the record. It’s a song that’s about both of us being too hard on ourselves, and not believing enough in ourselves. I think anyone can relate to that.
“It seems to be a theme of mine that I now debut songs at Glastonbury.”
Meanwhile, Romy said: “I’ve been a fan of Jessie’s music for a long time and it was amazing to finally work together after many years of friendship.”
She recalled a time earlier in her solo career when she was “just figuring things out”, and she had a conversation with Ware backstage at a festival. “Sometimes we all need a friend there to lift us up and help us see things differently,” she explained. ”She hyped me up and helped me believe in myself when I was feeling unsure.
“We wanted this song to be uplifting, celebrate togetherness and I can’t think of a better way to share it with everyone than at Glastonbury.”
Ware and Romy first met during a show The xx played in London back in the band’s early days, and became friends when The xx invited Ware to perform at their Night & Day Festival in Berlin. Ware said, “I felt like it was such a cool seal of approval – I sang with them on stage and I think from then on Romy and I became friends, she was a fan of my music and I was such a fan of her.”
Both Ware and Romy have played a variety of festivals this summer. Both were at Ireland’s Beyond the Pale last weekend, with Ware headlining, while Ware also headlined Mighty Hoopla on June 2. She brought out Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto during her set, and the duo performed the band’s hit ‘Standing in the Way of Control’.
Jessie Ware’s Glastonbury 2024 setlist was:
‘That! Feels Good!’
‘Shake The Bottle’
‘Ooh La La’
‘Pearls’
‘Begin Again’
‘Hello Love’
’Say You Love Me’
‘Lift You Up’ with Romy
‘Freak Me Now’
‘What’s Your Pleasure?’
‘Overtime’
‘Adore You’
‘Mirage (Don’t Stop)’
‘Spotlight’
‘Save a Kiss’
‘Beautiful People’
‘Believe’ – Cher cover
‘Free Yourself’
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos, rumours and more from Glastonbury 2024. Check out the NME liveblog here for all the latest Glastonbury action as it happens.
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