Empress Of Drops a Hypnotic Club Anthem with “SYW” Featuring Cecile Believe

If you need a new obsession for your late-night rotation, Empress Of has you covered. The visionary artist just dropped her electrifying new single, “SYW” featuring Cecile Believe, and it’s an absolute rush.

The track is the latest taste of her upcoming album, Dream House, which drops on September 18 via Giant Music.

What Is “SYW”?

Short for “say you wanna” “SYW” captures that frantic, magnetic moment when simmering attraction boils over and can’t be ignored any longer.

It starts out stripped-back, with Lorely Rodriguez’s voice hitting you straight away:

“A natural disaster, after / You treat me like a stranger, stranger…”

From there, the track builds and builds, driven by pulsing production and a real sense of urgency. It manages to feel both deeply vulnerable and completely club-ready all at once.

A Natural Collaboration

The track features longtime collaborator Cecile Believe (who you probably know from her incredible work with SOPHIE, Caroline Polachek, and PC Music circles). The creative chemistry between them is immediate, adding an extra layer of glossy, avant-pop perfection to the mix.

“I love this song because it’s a part of the story in such an urgent, energetic way,” Empress Of explained. “Also, to collaborate with Cecile was such a dream.”

The Story Behind Dream House

While “SYW” delivers massive dancefloor energy, it sits inside a much heavier, deeply personal narrative. Empress Of wrote her upcoming album, Dream House, in the aftermath of the Altadena fires that destroyed her family home.

Instead of hiding from the grief, the album leans right into it. It’s an exploration of losing everything, dealing with the shock, and figuring out how to rebuild. The whole project actually started from a simple voice memo where Lorely hummed, “I wanna build a dream for you.”

“SYW” follows earlier singles like the string-heavy “Wild Storm” and the title track, proving the record is going to be a fascinating balance of raw emotion and massive electronic production.

Stream and Watch

The sleek, hypnotic video for “SYW” was directed by Magaly Ugarte de Pablo and matches the track’s restless energy beat for beat.

• Listen: Out now on all major streaming platforms via Giant Music.

• Album Release: Dream House arrives on September 18.