Clean Bandit collaborates with Sean Paul & Anne-Marie on new track
Clean Bandit posted surprising news on their social media pages yesterday. Hours before the release of their brand new single ‘Rockabye’, they announced that violinist Neil is no longer part of the group. “It is with great sadness that we must announce that our performances of Tears over the Summer were Neil’s last shows with Clean Bandit. He told us recently that he has decided to leave. We have had a wonderful ride together and we are extremely excited to see what he does next”, remaning members Grace, Jack and Luke wrote. With or without Neil, the next single did come out and it is a collaboration with Sean Paul and Anne-Marie.
Clean Bandit came back swinging earlier this year with their disco inspired single ‘Tears’, a collaboration with X Factor winner Louisa Johnson. For the next single they get some help from British upcoming pop star Anne-Marie and the one and only Sean Paul (who would have thought he would still be so popular as a featured artist in 2016!?). The track ‘Rockabye’ starts out a bit clunky with some cringy rhyme words by said rapper and dancehall artist, but once Anne-Marie starts the first verse, all is going in the right direction. The song is a smart mix of pop, some dancehall, electronica and of course Clean Bandit’s classical instrumentation.
The lyrics of ‘Rockabye’ are an ode to all single mothers out there giving it their all to secure a hopeful future for their kids. “Oh la, no one’s ever gonna hurt you love, I’m gonna give you all of my love, nobody matters like you”, Anne-Marie sings as a message from mother to child over a pulsing beat. The main hook in the post chorus is hugely addictive and the prominent violins in the outro feel like a proper goodbye to Neil. It might have sounded like a surprising collaboration on paper, but the result is a great tune, that might well become a worldwide hit.
Update: The video for ‘Rockabye’ portrays a single mother who makes a living as a a pole dancer. Perfectly portrays the struggle that this song is about. In the meantime Clean Bandit’s Grace performs a little choreography as well!