Indie superstar King Princess celebrated the release of her new album, Hold on Baby, by sharing the bombastic single “Let Us Die.” Along with its insatiably catchy nature, the single also boasts a collaboration with the late, great Foo Fighters drummer, Taylor Hawkins.
Videos by American Songwriter
King Princess, a.k.a Mikaela Straus, revealed that “Let Us Die” was co-written by Ethan Gruska (a known collaborator of Phoebe Bridgers) and Mark Ronson. In a recent Rolling Stone cover story, she referred to the track as her “big-girl song,” adding that the track intends to build to the kind of intensity that ’90s metal bared.
Straus’ partner and creative producer, Quinn Wilson, directed the accompanying video for the track, which sees Straus checking into the emergency room for a broken heart. She fails to survive the surgery, emerging as a rock star angel shredding on guitar.
Straus told fans about Hawkins’ contribution to the track earlier this week via Instagram. “These are two clips from the session where the great Taylor Hawkins graced my record with his magical drumming,” she said of the late Foo Fighters drummer.
Straus continued, “Mark [Ronson] suggested that Taylor should play on ‘Let Us Die,’ and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Taylor wasn’t only down to play on the song, but he was also the most encouraging and wonderful presence during that session. I started sobbing at one point and Mark couldn’t stop smiling. I have never felt so lucky. Taylor made this song what it is, and I can’t wait for you to hear it.”
“Let Us Die” follows the singles “Change the Locks” – co-written with the National’s Aaron Dessner – as well as “Too Bad,” “Cursed,” “For My Friends” and “Little Brother” with Fousheé. She’ll embark on a fall tour supporting the album on September 28 in Charlotte, North Carolina before wrapping things up in Austin, Texas on November 5.
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King Princess ‘Hold On Baby’ Album cover from Sacks & Co.
