Martin Garrix is closing out the week with one of the most unexpected pairings of his career. This Friday, the multi-platinum, chart-topping Dutch DJ and producer releases “Fireflies,” his first-ever song collaboration with 22-time Grammy-winning, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band U2, via Darkroom Records.
The track didn’t stay under wraps for long. Garrix gave “Fireflies” its live debut during his headlining Tomorrowland set on Friday, July 17, at De Schorre in Boom, Belgium — and he didn’t do it alone. U2 guitarist The Edge joined him onstage for the premiere, layering his signature guitar work over Bono’s vocals as the closing moment of Garrix’s set. Fans can catch a clip of the performance here:
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Garrix later confirmed the collaboration on social media, writing that “Fireflies,” with U2, was “out soon,” alongside a pre-save link for the release.
“Fireflies” fuses Bono’s unmistakable vocals and U2’s classic sound with Garrix’s signature production — a blend that plays out as part dance anthem, part rock ballad. It’s a natural continuation of the pair’s ongoing creative relationship rather than a one-off novelty; the two acts have quietly been intertwined for years.
While “Fireflies” marks the first time Garrix and U2 are releasing a song together as billed artists, their partnership goes back further. Garrix produced U2’s “Your Song Saved My Life,” which appeared on the Sing 2 movie soundtrack, and the two previously teamed up on “We Are the People,” the official song of the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. Bono has also co-written several Garrix singles over the years, including “Angels for Each Other,” “Catharina” and “Weightless.”
Most recently, Garrix produced “Scars,” a track featured on U2’s latest EP, Easter Lily — listen here. That EP arrived in April, following the band’s Days of Ash EP in February, and ahead of the recently released “Street of Dreams,” the lead single from U2’s next full studio album — their first since 2017’s Songs of Experience.
It’s not yet clear whether “Fireflies” will land on an upcoming Garrix project, a future U2 album, or stand alone as a one-off single.
“Fireflies” lands in the middle of a stacked stretch of collaborations for Garrix. He recently linked up with Madonna on “Bizarre,” from her newest album Confessions 11, which he first previewed during his three-night run at Barclays Center in New York — listen here. In May, he also released the long-awaited “Repeat It” with Ed Sheeran — listen here.
Between the Madonna cut, the Sheeran team-up, and now a full song with U2, Garrix continues to prove he’s one of the few dance artists capable of crossing genre lines without losing his own sonic identity.
