Keli Holiday is back, and he’s bringing the dancefloor with him. The alter ego of Peking Duk’s Adam Hyde has dropped “Dancing2”, the first glimpse of his yet-to-be-titled second album.
Born during the creative standstill of the pandemic, Keli Holiday became Hyde’s outlet for heartbreak, sonic experimentation, and self-reinvention. Now, with “Dancing2”, he’s channeling all of that into a slow-burning, string-laced modern love story.
“This song is about meeting a love that seemed a world away,” Hyde says, drawing on his real-life experience of meeting partner Abbie Chatfield. “There’s so much noise and distraction going on constantly as two single people in whatever business you want to call that we’re in.
“There are people in and out of our lives at different times, trying to find what we are, and just journeying through life in our own way. We were both just dancing through the show as we all are. There was a definitive moment when we decided to connect with each other on an unspoken battlefield and we have been dancing together ever since.”
The track marks a bold step toward the next chapter for the 2025 Rolling Stone Australia Readers’ Choice Award winner, following his 2022 debut album KELI and 2024’s JESTERMAN EP. “This album feels like the first Keli Holiday offering that is true to who I am,” Hyde explains. “It explores themes of longing for more, finding love in a crowded room, and the union of sex. I have spent the majority of my days since the birth of Keli Holiday focusing on what I want to say, how I want to say it, and what I want it to sound like.”
In this case, there’s strings, there’s synths, and there’s a sweet saxophone solo that would make Kenny G proud.
The video for “Dancing2”, set to premiere next week, was directed by long-time collaborator Ryan Sauer. “I’ve worked closely with Adam for over a decade on his other project, Peking Duk, and it’s always exciting when he calls with a new collaboration opportunity,” Sauer says. “This one had a hectic schedule and a heavy workload, but our shared passion and the dedication of the crew helped us deliver an incredible video. It’s always a pleasure working with such a creative mind.”
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Hyde is already looking ahead to hitting the stage with new material. “The live show is where I really get my kicks as far as bringing the songs to life. It’s called a show for a reason. It’s my duty to put on a show and get them loose and sweaty.”
With some dates in New Zealand recently announced for September, a full tour and album details are expected to drop soon.
Keli Holiday’s “Dancing2” is available to stream now.
