Robyn has returned with her first new single in seven years, the euphoric dancefloor-ready ‘Dopamine’.
The Swedish pop icon and NME Songwriter Of The Decade winner hasn’t released an album since 2018’s critically acclaimed ‘Honey‘, but speculation about her imminent return was fuelled in September when her longtime collaborator, Klas Åhlund, appeared on the Nordmark Pod and said he had “just finished a new Robyn album that’s coming out”.
She also recently previewed new music at Acne Studios’ show at Paris Fashion Week last month. Now, after teasing her comeback this week, Robyn’s new single has landed via her new label home Young – as she captures the rush of the chemical sensation of falling in love and calls for more connection in the modern age. It’s a classic dose of bittersweet Robyn synth-pop euphoria; a subtle neon rush of aching and want.
“Everyone has a phone where they see their heart rate, and we’re learning how to decode our emotions through the hormones and chemical substances in our bodies,” said Robyn. “It’s almost like we don’t even accept that we’re human anymore, like we’re trying to shoot ourselves out of it and explain every single thing – which I think is great, but that’s also why the world is shit, this idea that you can figure out and win life or something.”
She added: “The doubleness of ‘Dopamine’ is having an emotion that is super real, super strong, intense, enjoyable or painful, and at the same time knowing that this is just a biological process in my body — and then not to choose religion or science. To just accept that they’re there together and to be able to go in between.”
The single’s video was directed by acclaimed photographer Marili Andre, who also shot the ‘Dopamine’ cover artwork.
Her last studio effort ‘Honey’ was awarded four stars by NME, in a review that noted: “From an artist who conjures up so many lofty titles – pop genius being one of them – this is a record that takes an altogether different tack to cut through to the raw, complex tangle of emotion.”
Speaking to NME at the time of its release, she explained the album’s title, saying: “I’ve been obsessed with this word for a long time, it’s such a weird substance, it’s both disgusting and amazing at the same time. That’s what self-love is, it’s not all good; it’s self-indulgent and also requires you to be deep and look at things that aren’t so comfortable.”
Two years later, Robyn was honoured as the Songwriter Of The Decade at the NME Awards.
In the years since the release of ‘Honey’, she’s appeared on a few tracks with other artists, including ‘Call My Name’, a 2021 collaboration with the Swedish duo Smile, and a remix of Charli XCX’s ‘360’ with Yung Lean last year.
This year, she’s made a few live appearances, starting off by teaming up with David Byrne for a rendition of ‘Dancing On My Own’ at Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary concert, and later with Gracie Abrams at Lollapalooza.
In March, she made a surprise appearance, joining Jamie xx on stage in Copenhagen for a live version of their track ‘Life’, which was released on his album ‘In Waves’ in 2024. She previously teamed up with him on the track at Glastonbury last year.
News of Robyn’s long-awaited ninth album and perhaps 2026 tour dates are expected in the weeks ahead.
