By Daniel Kreps
Fiona Apple will release a new song next week inspired by women impacted by pretrial detention as well as the singer’s experience serving as a court watcher.
“Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)” will arrive on May 7, with the track both a call for pretrial freedom as well as an effort to raise money for local bail funds. A teaser for the song was shared by Let Her Go Home, which has been documenting instances of pretrial detention.
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“On any given day, 190,600 women and girls are incarcerated in the United States. Over 60,000 women are detained pretrial, presumed innocent, caged in U.S. jails simply because they cannot afford to pay bail. Their average yearly income is just $11,000. Over 66% are mothers with minor children,” the Let Her Go Home site said.
“For over two years, Fiona Apple observed thousands of court hearings as a court watcher for Courtwatch PG. She saw so many people get caged away simply because they could not afford the bail. Pretrial. Presumed innocent. All across the country, women who experienced pretrial detention shared thousands of images of who they are and were outside jail. And their families. The song is a story about collective hurt. But also hope that we will end the pain of pretrial.”
“Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)” marks Apple’s first new original song since the release of her Fetch the Bolt Cutters in 2020. However, the singer has been unusually active so far in 2025, both guesting on the Waterboys’ “Letter from an Unknown Girlfriend” and providing a cover of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” to a Bridge School benefit album celebrating that singer’s music.
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