When an iconoclastic musician like Flea decides to step out of the shadows of his band to embark on his first solo album, expectations can take many forms.
But what has happened with “Traffic Lights,” the new single released on January 14, surpasses any conventional assumption: a stunning collaboration with Thom Yorke that fuses jazz, improvisation and experimental sensibilities in a unique way.
This track is the second preview of Honora, Flea’s debut solo album to be released on March 27, 2026 via Nonesuch Records, which showcases facets of his musical universe far beyond rock – a return to his roots as a trumpeter and explorer of contemporary jazz.
A natural encounter between modern jazz and alternative sensibility
“Traffic Lights” was co-written by Flea, Thom Yorke and saxophonist/harp player Josh Johnson, and combines Yorke’s unmistakable voice with a soundscape that oscillates between sacrificial jazz and subtle electronica. Flea himself explained that the track was born in a session with Deantoni Parks, and that its atmosphere reminded him of his work together with Yorke in the superband Atoms for Peace, which led him to send him the piece.
The lyrics and tone of “Traffic Lights” seem to speak to the paradox of modern life – “how to make sense of things when we get so much real shit mixed with fake” – as described by Flea himself, in a reflection that seems simultaneously intimate and universal.
A collaboration with history and Atoms for Peace as a bridge
The association between Flea and Yorke is no coincidence. The two previously shared the stage as part of Atoms for Peace, a project that brought together talents such as Yorke, Flea, Mauro Refosco and Joey Waronker, among others, and left a legacy of sonic experimentation in the past decade.
That shared past is felt on Traffic Lights: not only because of the obvious chemistry between the two artists, but because Yorke contributes vocals, piano and synthesizers that generate moments of floating, almost cinematic textures over the organic rhythmic base woven by Flea and his band.
Jazz, introspection and expanded sound
Honora, the album that will include Traffic Lights, is not a traditional rock project. It is an album built from Flea’s love for contemporary jazz and improvisation, taking up the trumpet (his first instrument) and regrouping musicians like Jeff Parker (guitar), Anna Butterss (double bass), Deantoni Parks (drums) or Mauro Refosco (percussion).
The work combines six original songs and several reinterpretations of influential classics, such as Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain” and Jimmy Webb’s “Wichita Lineman,” along with guest contributions from Nick Cave.
The result is an album that broadens Flea’s creative spectrum, showcasing his versatility not only as a bassist but also as a songwriter, trumpeter and musical storyteller.
A launch loaded with meaning
The title Honora – named after a beloved member of Flea’s family – hints that this project is personal and reflective, a move that is as much about music as it is about identity.
Released with its visualizer video, Traffic Lights is now available on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube, accompanying its predecessor “A Plea” and offering the first major hint of the sonic direction of this highly anticipated album.
Beyond the single an international tour in 2026
In addition to the album release, Flea has announced an international tour in spring 2026 to present Honora at iconic venues in North America and Europe, with stops in cities such as Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Amsterdam, London and Paris.
This tour, in a more intimate format than the massive Red Hot Chili Peppers concerts, will allow fans to experience live this new stage of a musician who has always been at the forefront of sound exploration.
a reinvented Flea, a rediscovered Yorke
Traffic Lights is not just a single: it is a bridge between eras, genres and musical worlds. Here jazz, experimental spirit and the alternative sensibility of two unique figures, Flea and Thom Yorke, converge at a time when both seem to be looking towards the timeless rather than the obvious.
It is an invitation to listen, to feel and to let yourself go.
And it is only the beginning of Honora.
