Lykke Li is reflecting on the unexpected resurgence of her biggest hit after Drake featured an interpolation of 'I Follow Rivers' on his new album, 'Iceman.' The singer revealed that hearing her 2011 breakout track reimagined on Drake’s latest project felt almost destined, especially considering the rapper first sampled her music nearly two decades ago.

“With certain songs, there’s an alchemy or symmetry to them that allows them to have their own life in the world. And as a songwriter, that’s the greatest wish. I’m so grateful and blessed to have one of those songs that doesn’t even belong to me. It has a life of its own,” Lykke Li said in an interview with Rolling Stone.

Drake used elements of 'I Follow Rivers' on the 'Iceman' track 'Janice S***,' a hard-hitting song aimed at critics and the ongoing scrutiny surrounding his career. Li admitted she initially thought longtime collaborator Rick Nowels was joking when he texted her about the interpolation before the official confirmation arrived.

The collaboration also marks another full-circle moment between the two artists. Back in 2009, Drake sampled Li’s song 'Little Bit' for his breakthrough mixtape 'So Far Gone.' Li recalled the experience as a casual email request at the time, long before Drake became one of the biggest artists in the world.

The renewed spotlight on 'I Follow Rivers' arrives as Drake dominates streaming platforms with his surprise triple-album rollout.

Drake’s triple-album release breaks Spotify records

Drake reclaimed streaming dominance after surprise releasing three albums: 'Iceman,' 'Maid of Honour,' and 'Habibti.' Within 24 hours, Spotify confirmed Drake became the platform’s most-streamed artist in a single day in 2026, while 'Iceman' posted the biggest single-day album streams of the year.

The rollout included 43 tracks across the three projects and marked Drake’s first major solo release since 'For All the Dogs' in 2023. Industry analyst Sarah Jenkins noted that Drake’s surprise release once again proved his unmatched influence over global streaming culture.

Lykke Li, meanwhile, seems amused by the continued evolution of 'I Follow Rivers.' The singer even shared that her two-year-old son recently sang lyrics from the song after hearing it played by someone else at a park, despite her never introducing it to him herself.

As Drake’s 'Iceman' era continues dominating headlines, Li’s reflections highlight how timeless songs can keep resurfacing in entirely new cultural moments, long after their original release.

What do you think about Drake reviving 'I Follow Rivers' on 'Iceman'? Let us know in the comments!

Written by

Karishma Dasgupta

Edited by

Aliza Siddiqui