Mixed Signals

About

Mixed Signals was released as the third single from Heavy Entertainment Show on 28 February 2017. It was written by Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. of The Killers, and produced by Stuart Price. The song was originally intended for The Killers’ own use before Williams heard it in Price’s studio and asked to record it himself.

Williams admired the song’s driving energy and new-wave style, describing it as both melodic and cinematic. He later said, “Unbelievably, The Killers let me have it, and didn’t keep it for themselves.” While the lyric was not autobiographical, Williams recognised its emotional pull and decided to sing it largely in the spirit of Brandon Flowers’ original guide vocal. The result was one of his most impassioned performances of the decade, featuring a soaring chorus and distinctive, synth-driven production from Price.

Thematically, the song deals with romantic confusion and emotional distance, the narrator caught between love and suspicion. Its dramatic arrangement and vocal intensity drew favourable comparisons with both The Killers’ style and Williams’ earlier pop-rock hits. The chorus line “I don’t know what’s right or wrong anymore” captures the turmoil that underpins the track.

“The Killers’ sound is unique, and I think Brandon Flowers is one of the best songwriters on the planet. I wanted it to sound like Brandon.”Robbie Williams, 2016

Three alternative videos accompanied the single, each directed by Ross Anderson. All versions depict a woman’s night out, filmed from her point of view, with Williams waiting at home. The final moments vary: in one she returns to Williams, in another to Gary Barlow, and in the third to Williams’ wife Ayda Field. The playful multiple endings drew wide attention on social media and highlighted Williams’ sense of humour about his public and private life.

Although Mixed Signals peaked only at number 59 in Scotland, critics praised it as one of the standout tracks from the album. Digital Spy called it “a standout, with a pumping chorus and growling vocal that will go down a storm live.” The song remains a fan favourite and a notable example of Williams’ willingness to reinterpret the work of other artists within his own distinctive pop framework.