Mike Maimone’s Powerful New Single “Butterfly” Celebrates His Late Husband
A melancholy dance ode to love and loss.
Mike Maimone has released his deeply personal new single, Butterfly, a heartfelt track inspired by the loss of his husband, celebrated PR agent, Howard Bragman. Written during a moment of profound grief, Butterfly is an ode to enduring love, spiritual connection, and the gentle signs that remind us that those we love never truly leave.
Butterfly is the emotional turning point of Maimone’s forthcoming full-length album, Guess What? I Love You. While side A is full of fun, sexy travel stories, chronicling the joy and romance of his time with Howard, side B dives into the heartbreak of Howard’s leukemia diagnosis and passing. Butterfly arrives near the album’s close, marking a moment of emotional rebirth.
“We never move on, we move forward,” Maimone says. “This song is about carrying Howard with me.”
The single’s origin is as moving as the lyrics themselves. In the final hours of Howard’s life, Maimone sat by his hospital bed reading messages from friends and family. One came from ABC-TV’s Dr. Jennifer Ashton, who wrote, “Send me butterflies.” She had no idea that butterflies had held deep meaning for Howard since his mother’s passing, when she promised to send him butterflies as a sign from beyond. Days later, one landed on Howard’s toast at an outdoor café. It was a moment so poignant, he kept a photo of it on his desk.
Shortly after Howard’s funeral, Ashton called Maimone in disbelief. She was with a medium, who, knowing nothing about Howard, delivered messages that deeply resonated with Michael. “It changed me,” Maimone says. “I’d never believed in that kind of thing before. But loving so deeply and losing so suddenly opened me in ways I never imagined.”
Soon after, Maimone found himself on an impromptu trip to Mexico with friends. Upon entering the villa, a large butterfly greeted them. “Hi, Howard,” Maimone whispered. Moments later, he found a piano in the entryway. Its brand name was Howard. Surrounded by butterflies all week, Maimone sat down at that piano and poured his emotions into what became Butterfly.
Musically, the track lives in a unique space Maimone describes as melancholy dance music, drawing influence from Future Islands and LCD Soundsystem. It’s a track made for reflective summer evenings: chill, emotional, but undeniably alive.
“Every morning, I pour myself a cup of coffee, and a second one for Howard,” Maimone shares. “It’s become a daily ritual to stay connected and grateful. That lyric’s in the song, too.”
Maimone wrote, produced, recorded, and mixed the track himself.
“Butterfly is one of the best songs I’ve ever written,” Maimone says. “Even though the story is uniquely mine, I think the feeling is universal. If you’ve ever lost someone you love and felt them show up again in unexpected ways, this song is for you.”
Butterfly is available on all major streaming platforms. It offers listeners a message of hope and healing: stay open, even when it’s hard. Because like butterflies, love has a way of showing up when you need it most.
The track can be heard on streaming services: Apple Music, Spotify, Bandcamp, Amazon Music and Deezer, and here’s the link to Mike’s Linktree, which has all his socials: https://linktr.ee/mikemaimonemusic
