“Bring on the storm,” sings Ian Axel, one half of A Great Big World, at the start of the duo’s new song. “Glowing.” Against the quiet backdrop of a single piano, he delivers a heartfelt proclamation, that he will face the rain, the snow, and any adversity because he’s “Got a little bit of love / To keep us dry.” As Ian and his AGBW partner Chad King come together, the song surges and swells into an orchestral burst of joy. “We’ll be shining when the lights go dark / Just a little spark keeps the fire glowing / We’ll be ready when the waves get rough / Just a little love’s enough to keep us going.”
“‘Glowing’ is a song about finding light in the darkest places,” Ian Axel of AGBW tells HollywoodLife. “It’s about focusing on the love around you during the difficult times. I used to sing this song while we were writing it to my newborn son. I wanted him to feel safe and loved, but it was for me as much as it was for him.” This song, which is destined to become a fixture of wedding receptions and romantic Valentine’s Day playlists, comes with artwork designed by contemporary artist Kysa Johnson. The song will see its television debut when A Great Big World performs it on LIVE with Kelly and Ryan on July 29.
The track comes after the duo teamed with Christina Aguilera for “Fall On Me.” By pairing AGBW’s honest songcraft with the undeniable power of Christina’s voice, “Fall On Me” is the support anthem that everyone needs (“Fall on me / With open arms / Fall on me / From where you are”) after a year of turmoil and strife. Following “Fall On Me,” AGBW released “Boys In The Street,” an emotional depiction of a father-son relationship strained by toxic masculinity and homophobia. Thankfully, as is the signature of AGBW, love conquers all on “Boys” before it’s too late.
Formed in the early 2010s when Ian and Chad met at New York University, the duo found success with “This Is The New Year,” a song that found its way on everything from The Amazing Race to One Tree Hill to Good Morning America. They released their debut album Is There Anybody Out There? In 2014, and the follow-up, When The Morning Comes, in 2015. Their third studio album, Particles, is due in August.
“Glowing” is out now.