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King Princess, the project of songwriter Mikaela Straus, delivered a crowd-pleasing performance of single “Let Us Die” toThe Tonight ShowTuesday. The blistering track comes off Straus’ sophomore albumHold On Baby, whichRolling Stonepraised for its adept examinations of “weathering the world’s harshness with moments of musical and lyrical beauty.”
On the record, “Let Us Die” features a performance by the late Taylor Hawkins on drums, and Straus recalled her experience working with the Foo Fighters’ drummer in a recent social media post. “Taylor wasn’t only down to play on the song, but he was also the most encouraging and wonderful presence during that session,” she wrote on Instagram. “I started sobbing at one point and Mark [Ronson] couldn’t stop smiling. I have never felt so lucky.” (During King Princess’Tonight Showappearance, Hawkins’ contributions to the song were honored by a subtle tribute: the name “Taylor” displayed on a kick drum.)
“Let Us Die” was preceded by album singles “Change the Locks,” “Cursed,” “Too Bad” and “For My Friends.” WhileHold On Baby boasts a variety of high-profile collaborators — in addition to Hawkins, it features production and songwriting assistance from Mark Ronson and the National’s Aaron Dessner — Straus told Rolling Stone in a recent interview that her influence and creative style remains at the forefront of the record. “I’m at the helm of this ship,” she says. “Or else it wouldn’t be my music.”
