Florence Welch claims a group of “psychic cats” comforted her as she wrote her upcoming album Everybody Scream.
Following a near-death experience linked to complications from a pregnancy loss, the 38-year-old singer said the mysterious visitors appeared during one of the lowest points of her life.
Speaking on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Florence said: “On this record all these cats started showing up as I was making it. There’s multiple cats… like, ‘She’s sad, send the cats in!’ It really cheered me up, it was really nice.”
Florence explained the experience became part of the inspiration for Everybody Scream, the next album from her band Florence + The Machine.
She said while the process was born out of grief it was also filled with unexpected light.
Florence added: “This record has the most jokes in it that I have ever had in a record.
“Dark humour for me is definitely a way of coping. I cared less about what I was saying, and that almost allowed that part of me that does have a really dark sense of humour to come through.”
The new album marks Florence’s first since Dance Fever, released in 2022, and will be accompanied by a world tour beginning in February.
She told Seth her trademark barefoot performances will continue despite objections from doctors and family.
Florence added: “But actually I can’t perform in them as well.
“I think so much of what I do comes from dance training and modern dance and ballet. So I just don’t feel like I have the same range of movement.”
Florence, who formed Florence + The Machine in 2007, is known for her ethereal stage presence and powerful vocals, with early hits such as Dog Days Are Over and Shake It Out propelling her to international fame.
The group’s debut album, Lungs, topped the UK charts in 2009 and earned a Brit Award for Best Album.
Since then, Florence has released a series of critically acclaimed records including Ceremonials, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful and High As Hope.
She has often spoken about channelling personal pain, anxiety and faith into her music, themes that have remained central throughout her career.