The music world was treated to a surprise collaboration last night as The Edge joined Martin Garrix on stage at Tomorrowland to debut their new U2 collaboration, ‘Fireflies’. The Dutch DJ and producer, who headlined the opening day of the Belgian festival at De Schorre recreational park in Boom, brought the legendary guitarist out for the final track of his set, marking the first time the song has been heard by the public.
The track features Bono on vocals and builds toward a soaring, anthemic chorus: “Fireflies, you and I are fireflies.” Following the performance, Garrix took to social media to confirm the release, sharing a clip on Instagram with the caption: “‘Fireflies’ with @u2 out soon… premiered at @tomorrowland.”
‘Fireflies’ is officially credited to Martin Garrix and U2 and is scheduled for release on Friday, July 24. While it remains unclear if the track will appear on upcoming albums from either artist, the collaboration continues a productive creative partnership between the parties. The trio previously worked together on the 2021 UEFA Euro 2020 official song, ‘We Are The People’, and Garrix also contributed production to the Sing 2 soundtrack cut ‘Your Song Saved My Life’.
This latest release arrives as U2 continues to build momentum toward their 15th studio album. The band recently shared ‘Street Of Dreams’, a track produced by Jacknife Lee that highlights the group's enduring ability to blend classic rock sensibilities with modern production. As the band works in the studio, Bono has described the upcoming record as a “noisy, messy” project intended to serve as a powerful live experience.