Troye Sivan’s ‘Party’ Video Features Ian McKellen and Madonna Sample
Troye Sivan has unveiled “Party,” the second single from his upcoming fourth studio album, She’s the Best, pairing a prominent sample of Madonna’s 2000 hit “Music” with a lavish medieval-inspired music video narrated by Sir Ian McKellen.
Released September 18, “Party” arrives ahead of She’s the Best, which is scheduled for October 9. Apple Music currently lists the album as a 13-song release.
The release continues an increasingly star-studded campaign for Sivan’s first studio album since 2023’s Something to Give Each Other. The album rollout has already involved Nicole Kidman, while “Party” brings McKellen and Madonna’s music into the picture.
Troye Sivan’s ‘Party’ Samples Madonna’s ‘Music’
At the center of the new track is a sample from Madonna’s “Music,” her 2000 dance hit.
Rather than simply using the sample as a nostalgic reference, Sivan builds “Party” around the repetitive and hypnotic qualities of dance music. He has said the song was influenced by the difference between experiencing dance music on a crowded dance floor and hearing it through a laptop speaker.
The song also draws from Sivan’s experiences with Australian “bush doofs,” referring to dance parties and raves held away from conventional urban nightlife settings.
Sivan said the track was intended to recreate the feeling of a night that continually moves from one place to another, without an obvious beginning or ending.
Ian McKellen Narrates the ‘Party’ Music Video
The “Party” video takes Sivan’s dance-floor concept in a completely different direction.
Directed by Gordon von Steiner, the video was filmed at a castle in Berkeley, England, and presents an elaborate period setting filled with knights, revelry and choreography. Sivan appears at the center of the medieval-inspired spectacle.
McKellen provides the opening narration.
For Sivan, the casting has a personal history. The actor first worked with Sivan when the singer was 14, almost 15, when they appeared together in a production of Waiting for Godot in Perth, Australia.
That earlier connection gives the collaboration significance beyond a celebrity cameo. Sivan has described McKellen’s presence as part of the video’s broader idea of queer lineage and the ways different generations create spaces for one another.
What Inspired Troye Sivan’s New Song?
Sivan has explained that “Party” grew partly out of his memories of Australian nightlife and the particular experience of hearing dance music in the environment for which it was created.
The repetitive structure is intentional. Instead of relying on a conventional pop-song progression, Sivan wanted the track to reproduce the almost hypnotic sensation of staying on a dance floor as the night continues.
The music video extends that idea into another era. According to the production description, Sivan and von Steiner were interested in imagining what partying might have looked like across history, ultimately framing celebration and nightlife as something that transcends a particular period or location.
‘She’s the Best’ Continues Sivan’s New Album Era
“Party” is the second released song from She’s the Best.
The album campaign began in August with the title track. Its accompanying video featured Nicole Kidman, while Charli XCX was also involved with the song.
The new record follows Sivan’s 2023 album Something to Give Each Other, which marked a major period in his career and earned three Grammy nominations, according to Rolling Stone. In a September 22 interview, Sivan also reflected on the intensity of the years following that album and the personal experiences that informed his new material.
She’s the Best is currently scheduled for release on October 9, 2026. Apple Music lists 13 songs on the forthcoming album.
Why ‘Party’ Is Getting Attention
The latest release combines several recognizable names without making the celebrity appearances the entire story.
Madonna’s “Music” connects the song to an established dance-pop classic. McKellen gives the video a theatrical dimension, while the medieval setting gives Sivan room to reinterpret contemporary nightlife through a historical lens.
It also continues a creative approach Sivan has used throughout the rollout: pairing his music with major visual concepts and unexpected appearances.
The result is a release that functions as both a new dance track and another piece of the larger world being constructed around She’s the Best.
What Happens Next for Troye Sivan?
The next major milestone is the October 9 release of She’s the Best.
For now, “Party” gives listeners a second indication of the range of the album, following the title track with a more dance-focused release built around Madonna’s “Music” and an elaborate visual starring Sivan and narrated by McKellen.
With the album release approaching, further singles, videos, performances or details about the full 13-song tracklist could provide the next major developments in Sivan’s 2026 era.
