Listen to Olly Alexander’s “eternally optimistic” new single ‘Archangel’

Olly Alexander has shared a new “eternally optimistic” single, ‘Archangel’, from his upcoming album ‘Polari’.

• READ MORE: Olly Alexander on his “anti-‘Brat’ summer” and ’80s-inspired new album ‘Polari’

Created alongside Danny L Harle (Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, Caroline Polachek), ‘Polari’ draws from the earliest innovators in electro-pop, charting desire, voyeurism and fate. The album is set for release on February 7, 2025, and you can pre-order/pre-save here.

It marks the Years & Years frontman’s first album release under his own name, and has so far been previewed with ‘Cupid’s Bow’ and ‘Polari’. Describing the newest track, the former Eurovision entrant and Years & Years frontman said it was inspired by an “angel” that saved him at his darkest moment.

“I don’t mean a mythical angel (or do I?) but rather someone in my life who picked me up when I was down,” he explained. “I’m really grateful to him, and to all the other angels (divine and non divine) who I’ve encountered along the way.

“I loved making this song with my musical partner Danny L Harle, our goal was to create something that sounded eternally optimistic, redemptive and like anything is possible. This is such a special song for me and I’m really happy to be putting it out and to show another side to Polari.”

On the red carpet from the MTV EMAs, Alexander spoke to NME about the upcoming record, and said he was “so excited to be putting more music out”, adding that because it was under his own name, it felt “very special”.

“I’m just very grateful that I’m doing it,” Alexander added. “It’s gone down pretty well. I don’t know; I never know – but the fans have been very nice. I was very inspired making ‘Polari’ by a lot of music from the ‘80s like Erasure, The Pet Shop Boys, Kate Bush. I’m hoping that the music from ‘Polari’ sits in that world.”

Alexander has also announced that the project is set to hit the road next year. Check out the ‘Up Close and Polari’ tour dates below, with tickets available here.

Olly Alexander’s ‘Up Close and Polari Tour’ UK and Europe dates are:

March

19 – Luxembourg, den Atelier

20 – Frankfurt, Zoom

21 – Cologne, Live Music Hall

23 – Paris, La Cigale

24 – Brussels, Cirque Royal

26 – Berlin, Metropol

27 – Warsaw, Palladium

29 – Zurich,Komplex 457

30 – Utrecht, TivoliVredenburg

April

1 – Dublin, 3Olympia Theatre

2 – Birmingham, Town Hall

3 – Glasgow, Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom

4 – Manchester, Manchester Factory International, Aviva Studios

6 – Bristol, Bristol Beacon

7 – London, The London Palladium