Oliver Heldens Teams up with Julia Church for the New Hit “Ruins”

Oliver Heldens and Julia Church released “Ruins,” their latest single, via Ministry of Sound. It’s a stripped-down, emotionally intelligent piece of melodic house that chooses intimacy over excess, and lands all the more powerfully for it.

Heldens, known for his glossy, club-ready productions, shows notable restraint here. His beats are precise but never domineering. There’s no frantic energy trying to bulldoze the listener into submission. Instead, the percussion moves with quiet purpose, matched by synths that pulse warmly beneath the surface like a steady heartbeat. This is production with patience, clarity, and intention.

But it’s Julia Church’s voice that anchors “Ruins.” Right from the first breath, her vocal is front and center—featherlight, yes, but also raw with emotion. She walks a line between fragility and control, delivering lyrics that feel bruised yet dignified. There’s something compelling about the way she doesn’t oversell the pain; her vulnerability speaks volumes without needing to shout.

The songwriting leans into simplicity as a strength. This is not a track made for peak-hour dance floors—it’s a track made for reflective moments, for late-night walks and quiet car rides. Church brings a lyrical depth that pairs beautifully with Heldens’ mature handling of the mix, and together they manage to make a track that feels lived-in, like the musical equivalent of an old, comforting photograph.

It’s worth noting that Oliver Heldens has been pivoting in recent years, taking steps away from pure festival bangers into more nuanced territory. “Ruins” feels like a confident continuation of that path, made all the more resonant by Church’s ability to lend gravity to even the softest notes. There’s no gimmick here—just an honest, emotionally compelling piece of music that doesn’t need pyrotechnics to make an impact.