U2 and Martin Garrix release Fireflies after Tomorrowland debut
U2 and Martin Garrix have released Fireflies, their first track featuring the full band with the DJ and producer.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
U2 and Martin Garrix Fireflies is out now, bringing the Irish band and the Dutch producer together on a new single after a live debut at Tomorrowland.
Rolling Stone reported that Garrix first played the track during his headlining set at the Belgian festival last Friday, with The Edge making a surprise appearance onstage for the premiere.
The release is a fresh marker in a collaboration that has been building for years. According to Rolling Stone, “Fireflies” is the first song to feature all four members of U2 alongside Garrix, even though the producer has already worked with members of the band several times.
What is U2 and Martin Garrix Fireflies?
“Fireflies” is a joint single by U2 and Martin Garrix. Rolling Stone described it as the first Garrix collaboration to include the full U2 lineup, following earlier projects involving Bono, The Edge and the producer.
The Edge said in a statement that U2 and Garrix have known each other for a long time and that working together brings “a sense of adventure.” He said playing the song for the first time at Tomorrowland, before what he called one of the most passionate festival crowds, was a rush.
He also joked in the statement that he may have enjoyed the moment too much, adding that the experience reminded him why he loves outdoor shows and that he prefers playing with “no ceiling.”
Garrix said in his own statement that “Fireflies” has a distinctive mood and that the song began six summers ago. He called the Tomorrowland debut with The Edge “electrifying” and “very surreal.”
The producer also said that, although he had previously worked with Bono and The Edge, recording with the full band gave him a look at U2’s internal chemistry. He described the band members as friends and collaborators and said working with them again was an honor.
How have U2 and Martin Garrix worked together before?
Rolling Stone reported that Garrix produced “Scars,” a track on U2’s recent EP Easter Lily. The publication also noted that Garrix produced U2’s “Your Song Saved My Life,” which appeared on the Sing 2 soundtrack.
In 2019, Garrix teamed with Bono and The Edge on “We Are the People,” a song written for the UEFA European Football Championship, according to Rolling Stone. Bono has also co-written Garrix singles including “Angels for Each Other,” “Catherina” and “Weightless.”
The new single arrives during a busy stretch for both acts. Rolling Stone reported that U2 released the EP Days Of Ash in February and followed it with Easter Lily on Good Friday.
The band has also released “Street of Dreams,” which Rolling Stone identified as the first song from U2’s next studio album. That album is expected later this year, is timed to the band’s 50th anniversary and would be U2’s first LP since 2023’s Songs of Surrender, according to the report.
Garrix has been busy outside the U2 orbit as well. Rolling Stone reported that he worked with Madonna on “Bizarre” for her album Confessions II earlier this summer, and in May teamed with Ed Sheeran on “Repeat It.”
This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.