SOMA SHARES SULTRY NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘SAY IT’ LIFTED FROM ‘COBRA’ MIXTAPE SET FOR FEBRUARY 21 RELEASE
Bold, slick and laden with modern hip hop hues, today Sydney-based artist SOMA unveils her new single Say It, conjured alongside the legendary Danny Duke (Lizzo, Sampa the Great), and also accompanied by a cosmic music video ahead of the release of her debut mixtape COBRA, due out on February 21.
A sultry slice of alternative hip hop merged with futuristic soul, Say It collides SOMA’s seamless artistry alongside nods to the fearless storytelling and creativity of SZA, FKA twigs, and Outkast. Also expanding her experimental approach to music via inspiration courtesy of Björk and Missy Elliott, Soma ultimately captures edgy celestial vibes with her own unique twist in her latest masterpiece. “Say It is about an alien falling in love with a human on Earth and exploring this intense, otherworldly connection,” SOMA explains. “It’s a metaphor for feeling like you don’t belong yet finding someone who accepts and loves you unconditionally. It’s sensual, intimate, and cosmic—pushing boundaries while still remaining deeply human. The idea came from a conversation about how love transcends everything: distance, identity, and even planets. Releasing Say It feels surreal. This single represents such a bold step for me as an artist—it’s raw, emotional, and unlike anything I’ve done before. Sharing it with the world is a little terrifying, but mostly it’s empowering. It’s my way of saying, “This is who I am, take it or leave it.”
Teaming up with Danny Duke, the award-winning producer renowned for his work with Lizzo and Sampa the Great amongst others, SOMA also channelled her boundless sonic stylings into an accompanying music video for Say It, with the clip, directed by Frederick McHenry, expanding SOMA’s creative evolution as she steps into a bold new era in the lead up to the release of her mixtape, COBRA. “The video was directed by Frederick McHenry, whose storytelling ability is unmatched,” shares SOMA of the Say It music video. “He’s worked with some amazing artists and brought so much vision and expertise to the project. His Atlanta roots added a unique flair to the visuals. This video is a love story told through the lens of surrealism. Think dreamy visuals, glowing alien skin, and neon-lit cityscapes. It’s both futuristic and intimate—a visual representation of love that transcends boundaries.”
A mixtape set to dive into concepts of life, love, loss, self-discovery, letting go, taking control, and learning to stop caring about things that don’t matter, SOMA’s highly-anticipated debut, COBRA, due out on February 21, boasts 11 powerful tracks, each enticing you into SOMA’s creative universe while also cementing the Sydney-based artist as a genuine musical force. From the swagger of 247 through to the futuristic yet primal expanse of Burn, the raw, crystalline beauty of Sink, the humid and prowling White Silk, and the sultry emotives of Say It, SOMA’s COBRA mixtape is a sharply-polished outing that also dazzles with its immersive lyrical content, as SOMA elaborates, “COBRA explores life, love, loss, self-discovery, and empowerment. It’s about healing from trauma, letting go of pain, and reclaiming your power. Each track tells its own story while contributing to this larger narrative of resilience and growth. Writing this was an empowering and deeply cathartic experience. I chose the mixtape format because I wanted to release a cohesive body of work that truly represents my sound and my story. It feels so good to finally get these thoughts out—onto paper, into music. My own therapy sessions. My metamorphosis.”
COBRA will arrive on February 21, alongside an accompanying 20-minute long-form film, directed by Frederick McHenry, with the visual companion set to amplify the mixtape’s raw emotional power and creative depth, while also firmly signposting SOMA as an innovative visionary in the local scene.
Heavily inspired by honesty, empathy and “the ability to transform pain into art”, SOMA has evolved into an artist renowned for her ability to fuse timeless charm with raw emotion and modern flair. Growing up listening to hip hop, classical and everything in between, SOMA’s eclectic taste developed at a young age, has continued and ignited with each new release in her solo material, also drawing her creative moniker from the idea of nourishment for the soul, whether through music, storytelling, or connection. In this transformative moment of our world, where society stands at a critical crossroads, SOMA sees the digital age as a unique opportunity to explore, share, and collaborate across diverse voices – and music, as a universal language, plays a pivotal role in this evolution. For SOMA, it is not just a medium for expression; it is a tool for healing and connection, a way to navigate and transcend the complexities of time, fostering shared experiences that unify us all. With a voice capable of transcending time, space and emotion, she crafts music that resonates globally: “As a multicultural woman from Australia, I believe music and the arts hold profound power to dismantle barriers and pave the way toward a more inclusive and compassionate future”.
Off the back of unveiling Say It, and in conjunction with the upcoming release of her brand new mixtape COBRA on February 21, Soma is also set to perform some special mixtape launch shows, including her official launch party in Sydney on Friday March 7. And, as SOMA concludes, these performances are set to be something truly memorable both for SOMA herself as well as her fans.
“Fans can expect a transformative experience. My live shows are about energy, connection, and storytelling. It’s not just about performing the songs; it’s about taking the audience on a journey. With new visuals, choreography, and some surprises, it’s going to be unforgettable.”
Say It is out today.
SOMA’s COBRA mixtape and accompanying long-form film is set for release Friday February 21 via Mandatory Music.
SOMA – UPCOMING SHOWS:
FRI 7 MAR | MIXTAPE LAUNCH PARTY, TROCADERO, SYDNEY NSW | 18+
Plus Special Guests
Tickets available from: www.moshtix.com.au
SAT APRIL 5 | BOOTY BLOCK PARTY, LANSDOWNE HOTEL, SYDNEY NSW
Plus Special Guests
Tickets available from: www.moshtix.com.au
THE NOMADIC UNVEILS STIRRING NEW SINGLE ‘MARIE ANTOINETTE’ TAKEN FROM SOPHOMORE ALBUM ‘NEW HORIZONS’ DUE OUT DECEMBER 14
A haunting yet hopeful exploration of love, loss and growth, the stirring new single Marie Antoinette out today from Sydney singer songwriter The Nomadic offers a sweeping glance into the artist’s upcoming sophomore album, with New Horizons imminently beckoning for release on December 14.
Helmed by singer-songwriter Rob Gaylard, The Nomadic sweeps in today with a glimmering and oscillating bundle of melancholy and optimism, with Marie Antoinette stylistically nodding to the likes of early Coldplay, Radiohead, Phosphorescent, The War On Drugs, The 1975 and The National, while also fostering The Nomadic’s introspective and immersive unique flair. “Marie Antoinette is about being in a relationship with someone where things are so close to working but it’s not quite there,” explains Gaylard. “You both have work to do on yourselves, you both have hidden trauma, there’s a revolution coming for both of you! You just don’t know it yet! But over time you will come to see the silver lining in the current (painful!) cloud and realise that you grew from pain, suffering, hardship and crisis. The song is not about anyone in particular, just really inspired by the stage of life I was at and the observations of the world around me and the struggles friends and family were going through!”
After relocating back to Sydney in 2022 following years as a regular fixture on the New York City indie rock scene, Gaylard’s original designs for his latest body of sonic work also grew alongside working with some high-profile local talent, with an army of collaborators from around the industry joining Gaylard to grow The Nomadic journey; and, to ultimately bring both Marie Antoinette and its broader album New Horizons to full-bodied life. “I was lucky enough to work with some of the best in the business!” shares Gaylard. “I relocated home to Sydney Australia in 2022 and recorded New Horizons with Dan Frizza in Sydney at Forbes Studios. The Nomadic is the best of Aussie rock talent, with Miles Thomas (Lior, Ronan Keating, Montaigne) on drums, Oliver Thorpe (The Whitlams, Matt Corby, Meg Mac) on guitar, and Brendan Clark (Meg Mac, Montaigne, Jack River) on bass. Dan Frizza as producer lends the kind of magic touch that has seen him enrich the work of the likes of Tones and I, King Princess, and Gurrumul.”
Mastered by Greg Calbi of Sterling Sound in New Jersey, New Horizons builds upon the foundations set by The Nomadic’s 2022 debut album My Mind is Racing. Detailing themes of loss, change and hope amongst fluctuating moments of indie hues, classic and modern rock, wistful anthems, alt-country and more, New Horizons feels instantly intimate and welcoming, with many of Gaylard’s own powerful experiences percolating throughout. “The main themes of the album are feelings of being stuck in life and having the feeling that there is ‘something out there better for you’, of not wanting to let go of dreams, going through big changes professionally and personally, loss of relationships, and generally life upheavals!” Gaylard reveals. “This personal theme is set against the backdrop of major global changes and events, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, climate change, social and societal changes, and revolutions in the west.”
Opening with calm melancholy, New Horizons kicks off with Treading Water, before diving into an alt-country-meets-rock charmer courtesy of All Changed. From here, The Nomadic explore more upbeat rock territory (the Led Zeppelin-inspired First Light), unbridled and driving optimism (Don’t Give Up On Your Dreams), and a Bloc-Party-esque propulsive rocker (Hearts And Minds), with the latter also traversing heartache set against a personal backdrop of political instability and crumbling security witnessed by Gaylard during his time spent with the UN in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2011. Shifting into glossy emotives via title track New Horizons, a sublime nine minute opus buoyed by violin and cello, the album’s second half oozes into wistful beauty (Luminescent View), evocative storytelling (Erasing Mental Photographs), and a nod to The Boss himself, aka Bruce Springsteen, via The Absolution; also another track heavily influenced by Gaylard’s time in Afghanistan, and in particular the mental health issues caused by America’s troop surge in 2009. And returning again to some alt-country flavours with Blood Red Sky, recalling the devastating Australian bushfires in early 2020, New Horizons ultimately closes out with a rousing call to arms (Revolution), the gentle yet equally powerful stylings of Find A Way, and, ultimately, its closing track, and also The Nomadic’s brand new single out today: Marie Antoinette.
Imbued with a passion for music and songwriting from a young age, Rob Gaylard’s road to forming The Nomadic stemmed from his own nomadic lifestyle, living in five different countries in the first 10 years of his life, including Australia, Burma, Singapore, the Soloman Islands and the UK. This nomadic theme continued into Gaylard’s adulthood, with the talented creative living and working with the United Nations, national governments and NGOs in Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Israel/Palestine. Also a massive sports fan alongside his musical pursuits, Gaylard’s adventures under The Nomadic moniker entices listeners to enter a world of boundless melodies and wanderlust-inspired styles, first witnessed in 2022 with The Nomadic’s debut album My Mind is Racing, and set to flourish further this December with the release of New Horizons. Commencing The Nomadic project in 2014 off the back of immersing himself in the vibrant energy during a stint in New York City, Gaylard ultimately returned to his Australian roots in 2022, teaming up with producer Dan Frizza to begin work in earnest on New Horizons in 2023; and the rest is set to be history.
“It’s incredibly exciting to be releasing Marie Antoinette today!” shares Gaylard. “It feels like the culmination of a long journey, from the initial conception of the songs to the development and creation of the final product in the studio, mixing and mastering! Combine that with the emotional experience of going through some rough times and coming out the other side to see some New Horizons – overall It’s been a bit of a marathon!”
Marie Antoinette is out today.
The Nomadic’s full-length album New Horizons is due out Saturday December 14.
Soundcloud: MARIE ANTOINETTE
Stream: MARIE ANTOINETTE
BULLY HAY SHARES STIRRING NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘BUSHFIRE MOON’ + DEBUT ALBUM ‘BLACK DOGS AND SONGBIRDS’ DUE OUT OCTOBER 30
Embracing Australian rock with swooning acoustic adornment, the brand new single Bushfire Moon out today from Tasmania singer-songwriter Bully Hay is a stirring new cut taken from his forthcoming debut album Black Dogs And Songbirds, due out on Wednesday October 30. Also accompanied today by a striking music video reflecting actual events, Bushfire Moon is a reflective yet charming outing from this gifted Australian creative and storyteller, with production courtesy of the legendary Jeff Martin of The Tea Party fame.
With each song on the upcoming full length album Black Dogs And Songbirds channelling their own unique sonic flavours, Bushfire Moon effortlessly, and inadvertently, found its way into semi-country-meets-singer-songwriter terrain, with some classic Australian rock undercurrents also flourishing in the steady hands of Bully Hay, aka Jonathon Coleman. Taking inspiration from some of the greats, including Paul Kelly, Bruce Springsteen, Crowded House and Eddie Vedder, Bushfire Moon was also ultimately motivated by real-world events in the aftermath of the bushfires that devastated parts of Bully Hay’s home state. “Bushfire Moon came to me after the Dunalley bushfires in Tasmania a few years ago,” shares Bully Hay. “The fire wiped out most of the Tasman Peninsula and caused a lot of damage and disruption. It ended up cutting off a lot of people from the rest of the island to the point where people could only get on and off the peninsula by boat. So, the community had to band together to get help to those that needed it. It felt like just about anyone that had a boat was ferrying supplies and people back and forth for days because the roads were all blocked with debris from the fires. I had this fictional story in my head inspired by those events of a volunteer firefighter right in the thick of it, fighting the fires and totally exhausted. At some point he knows it’s a lost cause. The situation is hopeless and too far gone and he needs to get out of there. All he can think of is finding his love and he sets out, determined to find her amongst all the chaos.”
Produced, recorded and mixed by Jeff Martin (The Tea Party), who Bully Hay will also support on his Australian tour starting tonight and closing out in October, Bushfire Moon is ultimately “at its core, an acoustic guitar ballad that builds with layers of electric guitars and subtly intertwines a touch of violin”, brought together Bully Hay himself on guitars and vocals, Martin on guitar, Hellhound Brown on slide guitar, Drew Castles on drums, Ben Conicella on bass, and Luke Moller on strings. And also teaming up with Thomas Roach of Roach Media to bring the accompanying visuals for Bushfire Moon to life, the new music video snapshots the unique reality of bushfires in Australia, as Bully Hay elaborates, “We kept it simple with this one and just took the Australian landscape, lit it on fire (not literally, just found footage of it on fire!) and projected that onto me playing through the song. As traumatic as bushfires are, there is something quintessentially Australian about our country where fire is both the great destroyer and creator. So, we wanted that to be a focus of the video.”
Joining earlier singles Wash Off The World and the upcoming new album’s title track, Black Dogs And Songbirds, Bushfire Moon furthers the core notions of change, self-reflection and life’s highs and lows in general beating at the heart of Bully Hay’s debut full length. Along with Bully Hay and Jeff Martin’s incredible fingerprints across the entire album, Black Dogs And Songbirds also brought onboard Paul Pilsneniks (Silverchair, Dope Lemon, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard) on engineering, and Grammy Award-nominated Joe Carra (The Teskey Brothers) on mastering duties, as well as sonic inspiration spanning Soundgarden riffs, Rage Against the Machine basslines, Jeff Buckley, Paul Kelly, Powderfinger, Crowded House, The War On Drugs and, fittingly, Jeff Martin’s own band The Tea Party. Opening with buoyant empowerment via Wash Off The World, Bully Hay bursts into vivid view with heartrending melodics, acoustic flourishes and a glistening sonic reflection of the ocean itself in all of its cleansing and naturally wild beauty. From here, Bully Hay flits between wistful twangs (Breathing Out and I Can Be Your Lover), pensive, stripped-back ruminations (Black Dogs And Songbirds), swooning country hues (Bushfire Moon), an indie love ballad that melts and charms with measured simplicity (The World Is On Fire But You Look So Great), potent storytelling set against swelling textures (Cinnamon Perfume Cabernet), as well as injections of Aussie rock, both upbeat (Flinders Street Station. And whether diving headfirst into woozy and heavier territory (Arrest The Youth and Such Confidence) or buffeting across the album’s gossamer closing track (I Know What You’re Saying Love), Bully Hay not only showcases his dexterous abilities across a sea of different genre elements; he also effortlessly captures the entire gamut of the human existence in 11 powerful tracks.
“All of the song themes are taken from real life inspiration and reflection,” shares Bully Hay of Black Dogs And Songbirds. “Musically, I’m definitely a product of my listening habits and these vary so much from classical and folk music to grunge and metal, rock and acoustic singer songwriters. So perhaps this is why the songs vary a lot in style and are tricky to pinpoint. It’s a very self-reflective album. Most of the songs are about change and dealing with those changes in different ways. That could be rejecting change, embracing change or just noticing that something is happening whether you like it or not. Being true to yourself and recognising your own flaws and unpacking them. The songs differ quite a lot in style and feel. So, the album itself takes the listener on quite a journey. One of the songs on the album (Cinnamon Perfume Cabernet) has a lyric in there: “You cannot have the light without a little bit of darkness” and this very much sums up the experience of listening to this album. There are plenty of moments of light and shade and a little in between. Sums up the highs and lows of life in general.”
A sixth-generation Tassie boy currently based in Southern Tasmania, Bully Hay’s upbringing saw him utterly immersed in music, with his musical family helping to ignite his lifelong passion at an early age. Ultimately sparking his desire to become a musician by his father, who introduced Bully Hay to some chords on the guitar at the tender age of 14, the rest well and truly was history, with the self-taught Coleman going on to learn music by ear, and performed in bands and as a solo artist for the years to follow. Settling on the moniker Bully Hay for his solo endeavours, the name was inspired by Coleman’s uncle who was one of “The Rats of Tobruk” in World War II.
Ahead of the upcoming release of Black Dogs And Songbirds on October 30, Bully Hay will perform some solo acoustic shows supporting Jeff Martin on his Australian solo tour, with Martin performing interpretations of classic David Bowie songs on his Aussie run. Kicking off tonight in Belgrave, Martin and Bully Hay will trek to Melbourne, Adelaide and Cronulla, before closing out on Thursday October 24 in Newcastle. For Bully Hay, the chance to not only tour with Martin but also strip back his own live show is the perfect complement to the origins and creative journey for Black Dogs And Songbirds, as Bully Hay explains, “I couldn’t be more pumped about these shows. Normally these songs would be performed as a 5-6 piece band. But I’m hitting the road first in reverse and supporting Jeff in a solo acoustic format. I love playing these songs solo. In fact, every single song on the album began with just me on an acoustic guitar so it feels very natural. You can expect these songs stripped back and distilled into rather intimate versions. Often, it’s easier to connect with the audience when it’s just you and your guitar. As for Jeff jumping on stage, I would say there’s a strong possibility, but you’ll have to come along and find out!”
And with a national tour with his full band also on the cards following the release of Black Dogs And Songbirds, the best for Bully Hay seems only yet to come.
Bushfire Moon is out today.
Black Dogs And Songbirds is due out Wednesday October 30.
BULLY HAY – UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
Acoustic Solo Shows supporting Jeff Martin
FRI 20 SEP | SOOKI LOUNGE, BELGRAVE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from Oztix
SAT 21 SEP | CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND VIC | 18+
Tickets available from Oztix
SAT 5 OCT | JIVE, ADELAIDE SA | 18+
Tickets available from Moshtix
WED 23 OCT | BRASS MONKEY, CRONULLA NSW | 18+
Tickets available from Oztix
THU 24 OCT | KING STREET WAREHOUSE, NEWCASTLE, NSW | 18+
Tickets available from Oztix