Little Dragon's Yukimi Joins Yttling Jazz on New Single "Distant Star" out Now! ​ 

LITTLE DRAGON’S YUKIMI JOINS YTTLING JAZZ ON NEW SINGLE “DISTANT STAR” OUT TODAY LISTEN TO "DISTANT STAR" HERE & WATCH HERE

New York, NY (January 22, 2026) – Yttling Jazz releases brand-new original single, “Distant Star,” featuring Yukimi of Little Dragon on vocals. The collaboration brings together Björn Yttling’s vibrant alt-pop and cinematic jazz language with Yukimi’s unmistakable voice, marking a rare meeting point between two Swedish talents. The result is an adventurous, upbeat track that blends an indie voodoo atmosphere à la New Orleans with leisurely brass melodies that are rooted in rhythm and quiet emotional weight.   “Distant Star” carries a restless energy and a physical sense driven by percussion, tap shoes (!) and brass, while leaving space for Yukimi’s distinctive vocal to guide the song’s emotional core. The single arrives alongside the official music video directed by Henry Moore Selder (The Knife, The Hives) – watch HERE. Speaking on the collaboration, Björn Yttling says: “This song came out of a track we recorded for the Illegal Hit album. It mainly had toms and tap shoes (!) but no real melody. The idea was to have a great singer and make a ‘Gene Krupa plays Swedish indie’ kind of tune. I worked on the melody meanwhile trying to come up with a singer that would fit the vibe. Once I got the idea to bring in Yukimi it all happened very fast. We planned the whole thing and wrote the lyrics over the phone. And…I knew that she was good, but I didn’t know she was THIS good. The bass clarinet by Nils Berg is an awesome feature and we topped it off with some beautiful growling trumpet by Tobias Wiklund.”  — Björn Yttling, Yttling Jazz Yukimi adds: “I’ve loved Björn’s production for years and am also a fan of Peter Bjorn And John. He reached out to me at a time in my life when I felt open to sing a jazz track. This one has the fire and newness still paying tribute to classic sound. In my opinion jazz music should be danced to and that’s what this song makes me want to do.” — Yukimi Yukimi is best known as the co-founder and vocalist of Little Dragon, the Grammy-nominated group whose influence spans across electronic, soul, pop, and experimental music. Across several albums with the band, she has built a reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music, alongside collaborations with artists including Gorillaz, Kaytranada, Big Boi, De La Soul, DJ Shadow, SBTRKT, and BADBADNOTGOOD. Her critically acclaimed debut solo album For You (2025) marks a new chapter, exploring independence, intimacy and creative freedom, with “Distant Star” sitting naturally within that wider arc.   The single arrives ahead of Yttling Jazz’s European tour (confirmed dates below) and first-ever London show, a live performance at The Jazz Cafe on March 2nd – info & tickets HERE. The show offers a chance to experience the project in full form, with the depth, dynamics, and physicality that sit at the heart of the music. At the piano Yttling steers the group through tightly composed themes and open improvisation, creating an immersive jazz set where every player is given room to stretch.   Earlier in 2025, Yttling Jazz released his sophomore album Illegal Hit on YEAR0001, a record that reintroduced Yttling Jazz as a fully realised and expressive body of work. Led by Björn Yttling – known globally for his work as one third of iconic indie trio Peter Bjorn and John alongside his extensive production and songwriting career – Yttling Jazz is his long-standing jazz project and creative home. Shaped by his early musical training and lifelong relationship with jazz, the project is filtered through decades of work across pop, indie, and alternative music with artists including Lykke Li, Robyn, Franz Ferdinand, Primal Scream, Chrissie Hynde, First Aid Kit, The Hives, Sarah Blasko, and many others.    “Distant Star” is a song alive with warmth, tension and a skilful use of free-flowing drama that runs through both artists’ work.   “Distant Star” is out Today - January 22, 2026 via YEAR0001   Music by Björn Yttling  Lyrics by Yukimi Nagano and Björn Yttling   Produced by Björn Yttling & Featuring: Björn Yttling - piano, whistling Yukimi Nagano  - vocals Dan Berglund - upright bass Fredrik Rundqvist - drums John Eriksson - shaker, tap shoes Nils Berg - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet Tobias Wiklund - trumpet   Yttling Jazz Live Feb 13 | Kalmar, Söderport (SE) Feb 14 | Landskrona, Landskrona Teater (SE) Feb 25 | Karlstad, Scalateatern (SE) Feb 26 | Skövde, Kulturhuset (SE) Feb 27 | Copenhagen, Studie 3 (DK) Feb 28 | Malmö, Moriska Paviljongen (SE) Mar 2 | London, Jazz Cafe (UK) Mar 4 | Paris, Le Hasard Ludique (FR) Mar 6 | Berlin, Gretchen (DE) Mar 16 | Stockholm, Vråljazz at Slaktkyrkan (SE) Mar 26 | Umeå, Umeå Jazzstudio / Folkets Hus (SE)   Stay Connected to Yttling Jazz YTTLING JAZZ | YouTube | Instagram