Category: Single Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Paulina’s New Single Is a “Parasite” You’ll Want to Know

Brisbane singer-songwriter Paulina shows maturity beyond her years with her latest single “Parasite.” At just 17, she’s got such a bright future ahead of her. Her warm voice immediately drew me in. I love the way she balances the classic tones of an acoustic guitar with some fresh beats for the chorus.

“At its core it’s about being treated like a parasite by a partner,” Paulina said of the song’s meaning. “Having someone treat you so disrespectfully and disgustingly can destroy someone’s self-worth and self-love. So, instead of continuing to be a victim of such awful treatment and the pain that comes with it, this song shows that you can in fact do yourself a huge favour and leave toxic relationships. You don’t have to and shouldn’t love someone who treats you so badly, because you are so much more than that. If anything, they’re the parasite!”

This powerful song comes with a gorgeous music video directed by Slate Media’s Matt Pettigrew. Slate Media has previously created clips for Cosmo’s Midnight, Mallrat, and Spacey Jane.

“As the music video progresses, my makeup becomes a bit more smudged as I begin to cry. This accentuates the truly sad, and upsetting feeling portrayed subtly throughout the song,” Paulina explained. “In the studio, we used a 20ft square soft box grid, that allowed full range of the colour spectrum, to create a bold, yet soft colour scheme in the music video.”

If you love what you hear, make sure you follow Paulina’s Facebook page, as she often announces gigs around Brisbane just days before they happen.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Lakelend Impresses With “Anybody Else But You”

Melbourne pop act Lakelend is back with what might be his strongest release yet. “Anybody Else But You” is a shimmery pop track with a soft, sensitive centre. Make sure you pay attention to the moving lyrics which give voice to the pain so many of us feel after a bad breakup.

“‘Anybody Else But You’ is about being fresh out of a relationship in the most destructive and dangerous headspace you’ve ever experienced,” Lakelend explained.

Lakelend balances the drama with a fun music video inspired by Grand Theft Auto. In it we see Lakelend navigating his way through the video game world, hoping to come out the other side, just as we do when we’re picking up the pieces of a broken heart.

Live music might seem a long way off for Melbourne, but Lakelend is giving the city something to look forward to on that front. Catch him and fellow Melbourne muso Kuren at Stay Gold in Brunswick on December 17.

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sophie Monk Releases Surprising New Single, “Nice to Meet You”

When Sophie Monk appeared on The Masked Singer last season, I guessed it wouldn’t be too long before she returned to the music scene. Now she’s back with a brand new single “Nice to Meet You,” which is the perfect reintroduction to her vocal talents.

This is a far cry from the sugary pop music Sophie made with Bardot. Instead it’s a dark jazzy number with insightful lyrics. Sophie penned the track while on The Masked Singer with Thomas Tan and CDB brothers Gary and Brad Pinto. Prince’s original horn player Phillip Lassiter gives it a cool retro feel.

“It’s taken me years to be ready to release a song and this happened so organically for me, I felt like the time was right,” Sophie explained. “People know me originally as a singer in Australia so it’s nice to be going back to my number one love.”

Releasing the song independently through Ditto Music is another unexpected choice, but one that Sophie says feels right.

“For the first time in my musical career, I feel like I am in complete control and I’m just excited by the opportunity to be able to do this. I hope everyone enjoys the track it as much as I did recording it.”

This track is a real surprise, in the best possible way. It’s great to have you back making music Sophie!

Image used with permission from KAOS

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

90ivy Release Stellar New Single, “Now or Later”

If The 1975 and HAIM had a baby, it might sound something like 90ivy. The latest track from the Sydney quartet, “Now or Later” is putting a spring in my step today. With its upbeat vibes and explosively angsty chorus, I know you’re going to love it as much as I do.

“‘Now Or Later’ is our happy-sad take on a breakup song,” explained lead singer Agnes O’Dwyer. “We love exploring contrast with our music, and this track is a good example of that as we juxtapose upbeat melodies and instrumentation with storytelling centred around heartbreak. The track came together so organically. Tom just started playing around with this bouncy, syncopated bass line during one of our jam sessions. It immediately caught all of our attention, and everyone stopped what they were doing to figure the song out. Liam came up with his infectious, 1975-esque riff almost immediately and the verse and chorus lines came to me on the spot, which very rarely happens.”

90ivy have played shows with some of the country’s most exciting new acts including AGOISM, Yorke, CLEWS, Teenage Dads, and Jess Day. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we see them back on stages soon. Until then, press play on this tune!

Image used with permission from Good Intent; credit: Rhys Bennett

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The VANNS Bring Good Vibes With New Single & Rescheduled Tour

The VANNS might just be the most consistent band on the music scene right now. The South Coast act recently dropped their latest single “Feels Good Now,” and it’s predictably brilliant. With Jimmy Vann’s exquisite vocals and big chunky guitars, this track is bound to make your Hump Day a little easier. Like their last single “Red Light,” this song came out of recent recording sessions with producer Chris Collins at The Music Farm.

“The song was originally meant to finish with a fade-out, but we were having too much fun playing it for it to end so soon. We wrote (and I use that term loosely) the jam at the end of the song at the last minute, before we got in the studio and tracked it,” explained the band’s lead guitarist Cameron Little. “Thematically, ‘Feels Good Now’ is about taking a risk on something that you feel needs to change in your life despite any anxieties, apprehensions, and reasons why you tell yourself you shouldn’t; and actually pulling it off and feeling all the better for it. It’s a good feeling, hence the title; we can’t bloody wait to play this one live!”

That tour has just been rescheduled, but there’s an extra Torquay show and a few more tickets to previously sold-out gigs to sweeten the deal. Tickets are selling fast though, so get onto it!

3 March 2022 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
6 March 2022 – Torquay Hotel, Torquay
18 March 2022 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
19 March 2022 – Manning Bar, Sydney
25 March 2022 – Wollongong Uni, Wollongong
1 April 2022 – Kambri @ ANU, Canberra

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; photo credit: Vasili Papathanasopoulos (@vasilipappas)

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Isy Cappo Shows Her Sassy Side With “Rebound Girl”

Southern Highlands-based singer-songwriter Isy Cappo is just 16 years old, but after two years in the business, she’s releasing music with real maturity. And as you might expect, it’s only getting better. Her latest track “Rebound Girl” is a hook-laden pop track with relatable lyrics and a chorus that will have you singing along.

Isy is getting a lot of love from community radio, Triple J Unearthed, and Atomic Radio at the moment. Give her a follow on Facebook to stay across it.

Image used with permission from Play MPE

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rita B Explores the Highs and Lows of Getting Away With “Travel Companion”

Remember travel? It’s becoming a distant memory for many of us, but Sydney singer-songwriter Rita B makes us nostalgic for holidays with her beautiful new folk ditty, “Travel Companion.”

“Travel Companion” explores the ideas of escapism and isolation. As Rita B explains, it also touches on “safety as a woman in those spaces, in particular, whilst travelling. It’s a relatively stripped-back (singer-songwriter) track – not played with the band. Layers of sound, such as backing vocals and violin are added to create a melancholy, dream-like vibe as the track progresses.”

Creating a music video for a song about travel was always going to be challenging right now, so Rita did the only thing you can do: she went outback. This gorgeous video, directed by Maisie Cohen, captures the dramatic, arid beauty of regional New South Wales.

“Maisie Cohen was the brainchild of the project, who quite literally turned a song about road tripping, into a road trip throughout regional NSW. The destination was Mungo National Park with its unique and arid landscape, visiting many quirky/colonial regional towns along the way, taking advantage of the signature architecture and landscapes there within,” Rita explained. “It was ironic as I was able to share this journey with Maisie as well as Drew Norley and Ariki Hita, who helped with the video production. We all got along really well and were great ‘Travel Companions’. I really wanted to dance the waltz because I thought it complimented the longing feeling in the song and managed to include some scenes of beautiful Kiera dancing with me which added to the dreamlike element of the song. A few of my family members feature in the clip, my sister and her partner are mentioned in the storyline and my niece played the role of my imaginary daughter. Really proud and chuffed that they participated”.

Rita B is scheduled to play the following shows in the coming months. Hopefully they go ahead!

28 October 2021 – Get Folked Punk @ LazyBones Lounge Restaurant and Bar, Marrickville
4 December 2021 – The Townie, Newtown (with Josh Shipton)

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: D.H Norley

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rock Out With A Swift Farewell’s “Sunburn”

Sydney pop-punk act A Swift Farewell are back with “Sunburn,” a track that uses the physical pain of sun exposure as a metaphor for the wrong kind of relationship. By the time that chorus kicked in with powerful vocals from Emma Mather, I was right on board.

Like so many bands impacted by lockdowns, A Swift Farewell had to pivot on the single’s music video.

“We initially wanted to film a live music video of us playing the song at our headline show. However, with the ever-changing situation, we had to find an alternative,” explained the band’s drummer, Dwayne Morris. “Sarah, our bassist, messaged us one day and showed us a homemade green screen idea. From there, we hit up our good friend Robbie and the rest is history. It was a fun experience, especially since I got to hit my drums for the first time in god knows how long.”

Hopefully it won’t be too long before A Swift Farewell plays those live shows they’re craving. Until then, crank this one up!

Image used with permission from Good Intent; credit: Robbie Walcott

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Young Robin Drop New EP “Imago” Today

With Perth act Young Robin dropping their new EP Imago today, I thought it was the perfect time to bring them to your attention. These guys have grown a massive fanbase in Western Australia, selling out shows up and down the West Coast, but I think it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the country is turned on to their sound.

My favourite track on the EP is the current single “Violent.” This catchy indie bop had me grooving from the get-go. Sophian Manik (vocals and guitar) and Jed Begho (lead vocals) co-wrote the track, which has a deep personal meaning for them both.

“For me, this song is about internal struggle and finding peace through personal discovery and faith,” Jed explains. “For Sophian, it’s written from the perspective of his relationship with his significant other during the Covid pandemic. It’s about the struggles he had and how they persevered through it and came out stronger at the end. Even though the song is called ‘Violent’ the song does not refer to any form of physical violence, but more so mental battles that we have faced.”

Wrap your ears around it and I know you’ll want to listen to the rest of the tunes from Imago. Get onto it music lovers!

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Mastu Photography

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Brisbane’s Selfish Sons Deliver Anthemic New Pop-Punk Track, “Hard Enough”

In the tradition of bands like Good Charlotte and My Chemical Romance comes Brisbane’s own band of brothers, Selfish Sons. The trio is made up of brothers Jordy and Finn and their pal Jonty. Jonty met the brothers in a commercial audition room at the age of eight, so surely he’s considered part of the family now! Together they’ve just released their new single “Hard Enough,” and I can’t stop listening.

This is a slick piece of pop-punk with an infectious guitar-driven melody and a chorus you’ll find yourself singing along with before the song’s out. No wonder these guys have recently inked deals with LA management teams Connexion Music and Goodlife Management. Expect to hear a lot more from these guys once the country opens up and they can tear up stages again!