Arcade Fire Teams Up With Mavis Staples for New Single, ‘I Give You Power’

Arcade Fire released a single, “I Give You Power,” which features the gospel-soul legend Mavis Staples. You can listen to it above.

It was premiered over social media with a message that said, “It’s never been more important that we stick together & take care of each other. Love, Mavis Staples and Arcade Fire.” They added that all proceeds will be donated to the American Civil Liberties Union.

It’s unknown if “I Give You Power” is attached to Arcade Fire’s next album, although, seven months ago, multi-instrumentalist Will Butler said that they were hoping to have something out this spring. However, with this new song they changed the image on their social media profiles to that of a drawing of an infinity symbol with a copyright symbol inside. Such moves are often considered to be that they are teasing the artwork for the new record.

Now in her seventh decade of making music, Mavis Staples began her career in the mid-’50s in the Staple Singers, the family gospel harmony group founded by her father, Pops Staples. Their songs, including “Freedom Highway,” “Long Walk to D.C.” and “Respect Yourself,” helped provide the soundtrack of the Civil Rights Movement. Over the past decade she’s experienced a career renaissance thanks, in part, to indie rockers. Fellow Chicagoan Jeff Tweedy of Wilco produced 2010’s You Are Not Alone and 2013’s One True Vine, while M. Ward helmed last year’s Livin’ on a High Note, which featured songwriting contributions from Ward, Neko Case, Nick Cave and Justin Vernon, who wrote the lead single, “Dedicated.”

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