The legendary Swedish trio Swedish House Mafia, with over 10 billion total streams across nearly two decades of career, return with “Happiness Is So Sad“, featuring the intense and unmistakable voice of Swedish songwriter Lykke Li and lyrics reflecting on how the happiest moments are often the hardest to say goodbye to.
Released on July 30, 2026 via DANSA, with an international outlook that blends mainstage energy and emotional songwriting, the single received its global premiere on Apple Music 1 with Zane Lowe after being teased at Ushuaïa Ibiza during their residency and played multiple times across the two weekends of Tomorrowland Belgium (the world’s #1 electronic music festival) by Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso (both on the Mainstage and the Freedom Stage) —already establishing itself as an anthem and among the most anticipated songs of 2026.
Watch our videos of the song played at Tomorrowland Belgium and Kappa FuturFestival!
On one side, the power and sonic identity of Swedish House Mafia; on the other, Lykke Li’s alternative pop sensitivity: “Happiness Is So Sad” is the meeting point between two worlds that speak the same emotional language. The result is unique and incredible: it works both in a radio context and in a club/festival setting. Recorded in Stockholm, the song’s writers include Swedish hitmakers Max Martin (Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Maroon 5) and Oscar Holter (from the group Wolf Cousins – The Weeknd, Coldplay..), produced with Fred Again.., and Italian brothers Giampaolo and Marco PARISI.
Swedish House Mafia (Axwell, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso) are one of the most influential projects in modern electronic music: pioneers of the wave that brought dance music into the global mainstream. Since forming in 2008, they’ve delivered generational classics such as “One (Your Name)”, “Save The World” and “Don’t You Worry Child” (the latter two received Grammy Award nominations in 2012 and 2013, respectively), and became the first electronic act to headline a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden (2011) and the first to close the main stage at Coachella (2012). After a five-year break, their reunion at Ultra Miami 2018 with a legendary surprise set and the “Save The World” tour in 2019 marked the start of a new creative phase, culminating in the album “Paradise Again” released in April 2022 (No.1 on the UK and US dance charts), featuring global-level collaborations with The Weeknd (“Moth To A Flame”), Sting (“Redlight”), A$ap Rocky (“Frankenstein”), Ty Dolla $ign & 070 Shake (“Lifetime”) and others, followed by the hits “Turn On The Lights Again..” with Fred Again.. and Future and “Finally” with Alicia Keys in August 2024—continuing to position themselves among the leaders of global club/dance culture for nearly two decades with over 10 billion total Spotify streams and YouTube views.
In 2022 the group headlined Coachella alongside The Weeknd, in a performance The Guardian described as “mind-blowing.” The album’s lead single, “Moth To A Flame,” became a global hit, earning gold or platinum certifications in nine countries and entering Spotify’s Billion Club alongside “Don’t You Worry Child”. The group also co-wrote and co-produced “Sacrifice” and “How Do I Make You Love Me?” on The Weeknd’s album Dawn FM , which debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200. This was followed by the Paradise Again World Tour, spanning 29 cities in 11 countries across two continents.
In 2023 and 2024, Swedish House Mafia returned to the stage with key performances at Tomorrowland, Brooklyn Mirage, and their first Ibiza residency at Ushuaïa. They also released a run of new singles: “Ray of Solar”, “Lioness” with Niki & The Dove, and “Finally” with Alicia Keys. In 2025 they launched Superhuman — their new creative home and label. The project began with “Flood”, Sebastian Ingrosso’s first solo release in eight years, followed by “No Enemies”, a collaboration between Ingrosso, Steve Angello and Namasenda. Superhuman will be the main platform for future Swedish House Mafia releases, as well as a launchpad for a new generation of emerging talent.
FOLLOW SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA: www.swedishhousemafia.com
______
Lykke Li is a Swedish singer-songwriter who has built a unique career across indie-pop, dream-pop and electronic music, recognized for her emotional writing and for a vocal tone that’s instantly identifiable. From her debut “Youth Novels” (2008) to her later work, she has shaped a personal, cinematic style, becoming a reference point for international alternative pop; her most iconic track, “I Follow Rivers”, has become a cross-genre classic with over 1 billion streams on Spotify alone. From there she cemented her reputation with “Wounded Rhymes” (2011), “I Never Learn (2014), “So Sad So Sexy” (2018) and the audiovisual album “EYEYEE” (2022) and its reverse version in 2024. Over time she has collaborated across different artists and worlds, always bringing an intense, “human” signature—one that finds a perfect match in “Happiness Is So Sad” with Swedish House Mafia’s emotional and sonic scale.
FOLLOW LYKKE LI: www.lykkeli.com
30y passionate guy about music, social media, digital marketing and infographics!
I founded youBEAT in 2012 as manifesto of my passion for electronic music, with the aim of promoting artists and events.
Graduated in Media Languages at UCSC in Milan (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) with a thesis on the revolution of daily life with the streaming in entertainment and information.
Everyday more passionate and keen about data, tools and music insights and their connection in this everyday faster social connected world.
From 2017-2023 A&R, Marketing and International Manager at EGO Music (www.egomusic.net).
In 2024 I founded MAVIL, my artists&labels mgmt and promotion solo company!