British rock innovators Enter Shikari have surprised fans with the release of their tender and deeply personal new single, “Lightyears”, alongside the announcement of four US headline shows for January 2027. The newly confirmed dates will see the band hit Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Atlanta and Nashville, following their appearance aboard the Emo’s Not Dead Cruise on January 22. They will also perform at Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Idaho, on April 3.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the new track, frontman Rou Reynolds explains:
“Last year I took it upon myself to digitalise all our old family camcorder footage. It was a surreal experience. Seeing the old family holidays, Christmases, school concerts, and birthdays; it was a cocktail of emotions. But what struck me most was the bizarre nature of watching back periods of my life that now seem so detached from reality now. Looking back on former versions of myself that no longer exist, people that have passed, places that have been knocked down – it was a form of nostalgia that veered on painful at times (or almost like ’vertigo’, as I say in verse two). Lightyears is not only me speaking to loved ones who are no longer with us, it’s also me speaking to my former self. Seeing the innocence and fragility of who you were as a child is often something recommended in psychotherapy in order to recalibrate how you treat yourself now. It can quieten what can often be a relentlessly critical and mean inner voice. This felt like a literal and stark version of that.”
“Lightyears” follows the release of “Higher Ground” earlier this month, which arrived in the wake of the band’s announcement of an indefinite hiatus. Last week, the band also unveiled Live From The Golden Age, a special four-track live session directed by Tom Pullen, with audio recorded and mixed by George Perks. Featuring the first live performance of “Higher Ground”, the session is available to watch HERE.
The new music follows April’s surprise release of their latest album, Lose Your Self, which arrived completely unannounced in both digital and physical formats via So Recordings. Spanning 12 tracks, the album explores themes of desolation, futility and despair at the state of the world, whilst threading moments of hope and optimism throughout. Listen to Lose Your Self HERE.
The four newly announced US shows will kick off on January 27 at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, FL, before heading to Orlando, Atlanta and Nashville. Artist presale is available now, with all presales closing Thursday, October 29 at 10 PM local time. General tickets go on sale Friday, October 30 at 10 AM local time. Full dates and ticket information can be found HERE.
Before returning stateside in January, Enter Shikari will embark on their biggest UK and European headline arena tour to date this November, joined by Holding Absence and The Callous Daoboys.
With more than 3,000 live shows around the world under their belts, Enter Shikari have established themselves as one of the UK’s most formidable live acts. Along the way, they have supported the likes of The Prodigy and Linkin Park, headlined three UK arena tours and collected accolades from NME, Kerrang!, Rock Sound and the Heavy Music Awards.
Enter Shikari US Shows
January 27, 2027 | Culture Room | Fort Lauderdale, FL
January 28, 2027 | The Beacham | Orlando, FL
January 29, 2027 | The Masquerade (Heaven) | Atlanta, GA
January 30, 2027 | The Basement East | Nashville, TN
January 22, 2027 | Emo’s Not Dead Cruise | Norwegian Joy, Great Stirrup Cay
April 3, 2027 | Treefort Music Fest | Boise, ID
