After 23 years of silence, Appleton make music again – and they do it in perfect harmony.
Today (January 15) Sisters Natalie and Nicole Appleton return with “Falling Into You”their first new single since 2003, and it’s a song shaped by time, survival and sisterhood. Emotional and beautifully majestic, the track unfolds with a quiet, graceful confidence, reflecting not only where the duo have been, but everything they’ve experienced to get here.
From the opening notes, it’s clear that this isn’t a gimmicky reunion project – it’s a mature, fully realized piece of pop craft. The track swells with lush strings and a warm, flowing arrangement that evokes Sister’s early 2000s vibe without feeling retrograde. There’s a timelessness here that hints at the emotional core of their earlier ballads “Don’t Worry”yet “Falling Into You” expanding that palette with broader sonic textures and a subtle modern production sheen.
Vocally, Nicole and Natalie’s harmonies are the heartbeat of the song. Their voices – once the hallmark of the Appletons “It’s All Over” era – is intertwined with a sense of lived experience, giving the lyrics a wistful gravity. The track is about vulnerability and surrender, themes that feel all the more resonant given that the siblings are returning to this project after two decades apart.
As for its message, “Falling Into You” functions as something deeper than a love song – it feels like a silent pact between the sisters themselves. The past is acknowledged but never dwelled on; what matters is the choice to move on, Together. There’s a tenderness to that sentiment, as lines about surrender and trust take on a double meaning and reshape the plot “falling” not as risk, but as determination.
“Falling Into You” feels like a reckoning – a graceful reintroduction from two artists who have weathered fame, loss and reinvention, and emerged with something deeply honest to say. Co-written by Nic and Nat together with Gareth Youngthe producer of their 2002 debut ‘Fantasy’and his new songwriting partner Damnthe single is available to download/stream now.
See the official visualization for “Falling Into You” below:
It’s been more than two decades since Natalie and Nicole last took the stage as a duo, and almost five years since they toured with All Saints – The 90s girl group with whom the Appletons recorded five albums. They are still fiercely proud of that legacy: five UK number one singles, including the Immortal “Pure Shores” and “Never”two BRIT Awards and more than 12 million records sold worldwide.
“The whole music scene has changed since we released the first Appleton album,” says Nicole on the threshold of their new era. “We’re going into this with no expectations and enjoying the process of writing and performing again for the love of it.”
“Actually, it was our kids Gene and Ace who suggested we reunite! Gene said straight up: “why don’t you do something with Aunt Nat again?” And as soon as the idea was out there, we both realized how much fun it could be. I’m just so excited to be singing with Nat again.”
To celebrate their return, Appleton will perform BBC Radio 2’s Piano Rooms with the BBC Concert Orchestra on Thursday 19 February.
From there, the pair will make their much-anticipated return to the stage, when they play the iconic Mighty Hoopla festival in May. “We plan to throw in a fun cover or two,” Nicole teases of their set, “but you’ll definitely hear all the songs you’d expect from us”.
Let us know your thoughts on APPLETON on ThePlayerLounge socials now!
| X| |
