“King” is the first single from Florence + the Machine’s fifth studio album, Dance Fever. The lyrics depict Florence Welch struggling with the desire of going on with her a career and a silent wish of having children, as explained by the artist in an April 2022 interview with Vogue. In her head, those feelings are opposite and don’t go well together, because she can’t see how kids could fit in her lifestyle.
The whole crux of the song is that you’re torn between the two. The thing I’ve always been sure of is my work, but I do start to feel this shifting of priorities, this sense of, like, maybe I want something different.
The song was first teased in a letter sent out to some fans on February 21, 2022, that said “CHAPTER 1” and had a card inside. On the following day, billboards throughout London had the same card displayed, and the band’s website was updated with 15 cards, the first one being the “KING”, and an announcement that new music would be coming soon.
The single artwork was shot by American director and photographer Autumn de Wilde, who had already previously worked with Florence + The Machine by directing the music video for “Big God”. She also directed the music video for “King”.
This is the group’s first release since “Call Me Cruella”, released in 2021 for the movie Cruella starring Emma Stone.