New Pink Floyd single this Friday

Pink Floyd to Release New Song in Benefit of the People of Ukraine

Tomorrow, April 8, Pink Floyd will release a new song in support of the people of Ukraine titled, “Hey Hey Rise Up.” The single serves as the group’s first new original music they’ve recorded together since 1994’s The Division Bell.

“Hey Hey Rise Up” features David Gilmour and Nick Mason joined by longtime Pink Floyd bass player Guy Pratt, Nitin Sawhney on keyboards and a vocal performance by Andriy Khlyvnyuk of Ukrainian band Boombox. Khlyvnyuk’s vocals are sampled from an Instagram post he shared from Kyiv’s Sofiyskaya Square on Feb. 27. In the video, Khlyvnyuk stoically sings “The Red Viburnum In The Meadow” a cappella in uniform. His vocals are beautiful on their own but quickly become harrowing once one realizes the junction where he stands would usually be loud with traffic and passersby.

“The Red Viburnum In The Meadow” was written during World War I and continues to serve as a protest song across Ukraine, and Pink Floyd’s song is titled from the translation of the song’s final line.

“We, like so many, have been feeling the fury and the frustration of this vile act of an independent, peaceful democratic country being invaded and having its people murdered by one of the world’s major powers,” said Gilmour in a press release.

Since the video was posted Khlyvnyuk was injured by mortar shrapnel and while recovering in the hospital he was reached out to by Gilmour. “I played him a little bit of the song down the phone line and he gave me his blessing. We both hope to do something together in person in the future,” said Gilmour. “I hope it will receive wide support and publicity. We want to raise funds for humanitarian charities, and raise morale. We want express our support for Ukraine and in that way, show that most of the world thinks that it is totally wrong for a superpower to invade the independent democratic country that Ukraine has become.”

The proceeds from “Hey Hey Rise Up” will benefit The Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Fun.

Pre-order the song here.