U2’s surprise EP opens with a tribute to the mother killed by ICE, and Bono says it mourns ‘the death of an America’

U2 has surprised fans by releasing a brand-new six-track EP titled Days of Ash, which features some of their most politically charged music in years. The collection includes a tribute track written for Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis last month.

The EP’s opening track, American Obituary, directly addresses Good’s death, with Bono singing, “Renee Good born to die free/American mother of three/Seventh day January/A bullet for each child, you see.” Bono describes the song as a “song of fury” and “grief,” expressing sorrow not just for Renee, but also for what he sees as the “death of an America” that would have at least launched an inquiry into her killing.

According to Toronto Sun, Bono believes an independent inquiry is important for her family, the credibility of law enforcement, and for the officer involved. He went as far as comparing ICE agents to “gang members”, a message that is unlikely to go down well with the Trump administration.

U2’s new EP covers multiple global tragedies, from Iran to Ukraine to Palestine

Renee Good is not the only person honored on the EP. U2 also dedicates Song of the Future to a teenage girl who died protesting in Iran in 2022, while One Life at a Time pays tribute to a Palestinian father of three killed by an Israeli settler in 2025. The track Yours Eternally imagines a soldier on the frontlines during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and features Ed Sheeran and Ukrainian musician Tara Topolia.

On the Ukraine conflict, Bono said, “Ask anyone in East Germany or Poland or Latvia if they think Putin will stop at Ukraine.” The EP also includes The Tears Of Things, which imagines a conversation between Michelangelo’s David and his creator, exploring how one can live compassionately amid violence and despair. 

Wildpeace features a poem by Israeli author Yehuda Amichai, read by Nigerian artist Adeola of Les Amazones d’Afrique, with music by U2 and producer Jacknife Lee. Meanwhile, tensions between the U.S. and Iran remain high, with Iran rejecting any form of submission in nuclear talks as Trump’s team pushes for a deal.

Bono, 65, explained that “these EP tracks couldn’t wait; these songs were impatient to be out in the world.” He described them as “very different in mood and theme” from the band’s upcoming album, calling them “songs of defiance and dismay, of lamentation.”

Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. said “these new songs stand up to our best work,” and emphasized the band’s commitment to speaking out: “we’ve never shied away from taking a position and sometimes that can get a bit messy, there’s always some sort of blowback, but it’s a big side of who we are and why we still exist.”

Guitarist The Edge added that the tracks reflect the band’s belief that “the dignity of people is not negotiable,” while bassist Adam Clayton said the songs represent “tolerance, freedom and choosing not to jump to judgement.” Bono’s criticism of ICE also comes as the true costs of Trump’s mass deportation plan have come under growing scrutiny.

Despite the heavy themes, Bono hinted that their upcoming album will bring a more upbeat feel. “Look, we need some carnival here,” he said. “It can’t all be ashes.” U2 also brought back their fan magazine, Propaganda, which originally launched in February 1986.