‘We Swedes understand darkness’: Swedish House Mafia are back with ‘Happiness Is So Sad’ featuring Lykke Li
It is the trio’s first release of 2026.
Swedish House Mafia have released a new single, ‘Happiness Is So Sad’, featuring Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li. It is the trio’s first release of 2026, following last summer’s ‘Wait So Long’.
DJ Mag reported the release.
The Swedish Avengers crew
The track is out via DANSA. Built around melancholic piano chords, it pairs atmospheric electronic textures with emotive vocals from Lykke Li. Max Martin and Oscar Holter also contributed production — the line-up the trio once described as a “Swedish Avengers crew”.
How they recorded it
Lykke Li herself described the work on the track.
“When we found the riff, we were all screaming with our hands in the air.”
“Those melodies that pierce your soul, that make you want to cry and dance at the same time.”
“We Swedes understand darkness, but we love the light more than anyone else.”
‘Happiness Is So Sad’ was first previewed in June at one of the trio’s Ushuaïa Ibiza residency shows. It got a second airing live on the Tomorrowland Mainstage during Sebastian Ingrosso’s set, where he was joined by Steve Angello.
Swedish House Mafia’s last studio album, ‘Paradise Again’, arrived in 2022 with The Weeknd, Sting and A$AP Rocky among its guests. At this year’s Ultra Miami the trio hosted a main stage takeover with Afrojack, Boys Noize and Kelly Lee Owens, and reunited on stage with Eric Prydz.
As ONE//FM reported earlier, this year’s Tomorrowland did more than host that premiere — it also gave away the festival’s plans for 2027.
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