Martin Garrix has officially released his first collaborative single with U2, following a surprise live debut during his headline performance at Tomorrowland. The Edge joined him on the Mainstage, turning an already anticipated performance into one of the weekend’s biggest surprise guest appearances. The collaboration quickly generated buzz online as clips from the performance spread across social media.
Fans attending Garrix’s mainstage set got the first listen to ‘Fireflies.‘ The collaboration arrives this Friday through Darkroom Records, pairing Bono’s unmistakable vocals with U2’s signature songwriting and Garrix’s melodic dance production.
‘Fireflies‘ marks the first official release credited to Martin Garrix and U2 together. However, the two artists have worked closely behind the scenes for several years. Their creative relationship dates back to ‘We Are The People,’ the official song of UEFA Euro 2020, where Bono and The Edge joined Garrix on one of the tournament’s most recognizable anthems.
The partnership extends deeper. Garrix later contributed production to U2’s ‘Your Song Saved My Life.’ Later, he reunited with Bono and The Edge during sessions that eventually led to ‘Scars.‘ According to The Edge, the song originally began as a Martin Garrix demo before evolving into a U2 release.
Garrix rewarded Tomorrowland fans with the first live performance of ‘Fireflies’ before official release. The surprise appearance from The Edge gave the Mainstage crowd an exclusive preview of the track.
The release also continues an impressive run of collaborations for Garrix. In recent months, he has worked alongside Madonna on ‘Bizarre’ and with Ed Sheeran for ‘Repeat It.’ Together, the projects reflect Garrix’s continued willingness to collaborate beyond electronic music while maintaining the melodic sound that has defined his career
