Arlo Parks is Trading the Bedroom for the Rave: Inside Her New Single ‘2SIDED’

Arlo Parks has always been the patron saint of quiet intimacy. We know her for the hushed vocals, the sun-drenched poetry, and the kind of songs that feel like a warm hug in a lonely apartment. But with her new single “2SIDED,” the Mercury Prize winner is officially stepping out of the bedroom and into the strobe lights.

It’s the first taste of her third album, Ambiguous Desire, and it’s clear that Parks has spent her time away finding a very different kind of inspiration: the dancefloor.

The “Nocturnal” Evolution

If you’ve been wondering where Arlo has been for the last two years, look to the underground. She hasn’t just been writing; she’s been immersing herself in the dark, heavy spaces where the music is loud enough to drown out everything else.

The energy of “2SIDED” was born in specific, sweaty corners of the world:

• Sweating under the strobes at Midnight Lovers in LA.

• Feeling the sub-bass rattle her chest beneath the K Bridge in Greenpoint.

• Losing track of time among new faces at Venue MOT in London.

For Parks, these weren’t just nights out—they were an escape. In these clubs, she found she could be “whoever she wanted,” shedding her public persona and finding a new kind of freedom in the anonymity of the crowd.

A Heavy-Hitting Creative Circle

To capture this shift from indie-pop to “nocturnal” club energy, Parks teamed up with some of the most exciting names in production. After her 2024 New York tour wrapped, she got to work with Baird (the creative force linked to Brockhampton and Kevin Abstract).

The credits for the upcoming album read like a dream team of modern music:

• Paul Epworth (Adele, Florence + The Machine)

• Buddy Ross (Frank Ocean)

• Andrew Sarlo (Big Thief)

Together, they’ve crafted a sound that mimics the physical sensation of a night out—that transition from the “thrill of close-knit new bodies” in a dark room to the disorienting, “blistering daylight” when the music finally stops.

What ‘Ambiguous Desire’ Means for Arlo

“2SIDED” is more than just a catchy hook; it’s a manifesto for Parks’ new era. Ambiguous Desire sounds like it’s going to be her most “life-affirming” work yet. It’s a record about unguarded self-expression and the joy of being messy, loud, and present.

Arlo Parks has always had one of the most irrepressible voices in music, but on “2SIDED,” she sounds more confident than ever. She’s no longer just observing the world from her window—she’s right in the middle of the crowd.