QUEENCY SHARES NEW SINGLE PURPLE DIAMONDS DEBUT EP PURPLE DIAMONDS SET FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 24
Perth-based singer-songwriter Queency, aka Quentin Thony, is back bustling with bold, suave and sinfully smooth retro pop tinged with modernity, with a brand new single Purple Diamonds officially out today. A delectable sneak peek into Queency’s impending new EP of the same name set to drop on Thursday November 24, Purple Diamonds is pure sonic joy that’ll bubble the soul and bewitch the ears with polished and effortless ease.
Following on from Queency’s previous 2022 single Forbidden Fruit, Purple Diamonds is an unapologetic ode to 80s pop, with nods to the opulent essence of Prince, alongside hues of Whitney Houston and a sprinkle of Michael Jackson evident throughout the infectious track. Written entirely by Queency and workshopped with producer Mason Velios and Robbie Chambers, Purple Diamonds was initially recorded live with Queency’s band at the time, before a new arrangement was conjured by Ethan French. Resulting in an effervescent retro pop jam that also oozes with modern wiles, Purple Diamonds also ultimately took some personal inspiration from Queency’s own life to achieve the sensual and buoyant end result, as Queency explains, “Purple Diamonds is a metaphor for what you have most precious to give to someone you find irresistibly attractive. You know, when they’re just your type and the chemistry is right, you just wanna give that person purple diamonds all night! This song is about feeling so in tune with your partner that you’re ready to truly express yourself in the intimacy you have built and may even fall if you keep entertaining this situation. It’s about being vulnerable yet insatiable! Look, let’s stop sugar coating: it’s a booty song! And surprise, surprise, I wrote it as I was falling in love with my partner, so he’s definitely inspired it. It’s a shameless synth heavy and vocally stacked retro pop track modernised to 21st Century’s flavours. It’s definitely an ode to 80s pop, but I wanted it to be seasoned to the taste of today! And I like it extra spicy – so we turned the heat all the way up!”.
Also teaming up with Tristan Sturmer from Sumo Studios for the overarching Purple Diamonds EP, as well as producers Brian Kruger (AKA Kruger James) and Ethan French, mixing by Brian Kruger and mastering by Adrian Sardi, the ultimate EP broadens the lustier, lush musical flair witnessed on the brand new title track, with the EP expanding out to embrace recurring themes of relationships of all kinds, and navigating each unique and individual connection. From the swooning and smooth as hell crooning of opening track, and previously released single, Forbidden Fruit to bubbling jaunt (I Wished On A Star), hot and spicy soul (Too Late) and heart-rending retro ballads (When Daddy Left), Purple Diamonds is not only as polished and colourfully engaging as its glistening namesake; the EP ultimately also showcases gripping intimacy and optimism, as well as significant catharsis for Queency himself. “The recurring theme throughout the EP is relationships,” reveals Queency of the upcoming EP. “Whether in love, lust, friendship, family, or even solitude, navigating relationships with others and the relationship you have with yourself, is not always straightforward. Writing these songs was my way of reaching catharsis in times of anger, sadness, grief, hope and joy. I’m one of these people who live their emotions intensely and sometimes the only way to process them is to turn these emotions into something productive and tangible. That’s what I’ve done with this EP.”
A self-proclaimed “stage whore”, Queency’s live performance alongside his delectable and increasingly signature take on funky, soulful pop and modern R&B has seen the charismatic singer-songwriter draw comparisons to the likes of Ari Lennox, Daniel Caesar, Erykah Badu and Charlie Puth throughout his career. An artist inherently focused on crafting memorable melodies and punchy hooks, Queency’s wit, honeyed multi-octave vocals and dynamic dance moves has also seen him increasingly turn ears and heads, with a nomination in 2021 for a Western Australian Music Award alongside an ever-growing abundance of sonic material. First discovering his musical obsession with gusto at the age of five hearing the Spice Girls on the radio, while also singing along to Stevie Wonder as a child, it would be Prince and Whitney Houston, Queency’s ultimate biggest musical influences, that cemented the Réunion Island born artist’s eventual creative pathway. Already generating buzz with a string of singles, and live performances seared into the minds of fans in Western Australia, the Queency story is truly only just unfolding, with the slick, sleek and sexy debut EP Purple Diamonds ready to dazzle and catapult Queency to even greater heights in late 2022.
For now, fans can salivate over the impending EP’s title track, with Purple Diamonds firmly flaunting Queency’s relatability, technicality and showmanship in one extremely sleek package. “Purple Diamonds is my precious baby, so I’m genuinely overjoyed to finally be able to put it out in the world,” Queency concludes of his brand new single finally releasing into the world today. “And I’m excited AF to release the EP soon. This EP is my very first body of work and I’ve poured my soul, sweat and tears in it, so I cannot wait to put it out there!”.
Purple Diamonds is out today, Thursday October 27.
The Purple Diamonds EP is out Thursday November 24.
ELLERY COHEN SHARES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘DEMONS’
Forever heartfelt and extraordinarily sincere, Melbourne alt-pop artist Ellery Cohen has continued his impressive rise to the top, pairing vulnerability with admirable earnestness on new track Demons, which officially releases today. As captivating and catchy as it is effective, Demons is another victorious step in Ellery’s majestic career, serving as his first new single for the year, and arriving alongside a resonant video clip which contextualises the track’s message of facing the inner turmoils of life head-on.
Bathed in the nostalgic sheen of retro-inspired synths, and bolstered by Ellery’s syrupy smooth vocals, Demons is a standout moment for the Melbourne artist, showcasing a powerful and relatable message after some difficult years, while underlining his electric artistry that makes him stand out from the rest. With a compelling songwriting style reminiscent of musical icons John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and an enveloping approach to sonics that evokes names such as Ben Rector and OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, Demons is a triumphant undertaking for Ellery, who has emerged from the “hell on earth” of Melbourne’s COVID lockdowns with not only a newfound approach to life, but to his music as well. As Elleryexplains, “Demons is a step above what I’ve released before, both musically and lyrically, and it’s more vulnerable than anything I’ve done previously. It’s a song about accepting the things in life we can’t change. We all face struggles and battle addictions and we wanted to write a song about there being comfort in knowing that all humans struggle and although we are different, we are all the same.” Working on the track over a lengthy period of time, the composition of Demons was aided by the talents of No Frills Twins’ Arna and Vanessa Rogers, before harnessing the talents of ENTENTE’s Ezekiel Fenn and Michael Best in the studio. As Ellery recalls, “I wrote this song in three sections. I flew up and had a writing session with Arna and Vanessa of the No Frill Twins and we wrote part of the song, and I finished off part of the Zoom session with Vanessa, before finalising the song with my producers in the studio. I worked with my friends Michael & Zeke in ENTENTE who have produced my last few singles and they smashed this one too.”
The stunning video for Demons serves as a masterful contextualisation of the track’s heartfelt message. Harnessing the directorial talents of Clique Films’ producer-turned-filmmaker Daniel Kelaart (The Paper Kites, Simple Plan, Guy Sebastian), Ellery and the team worked over three nights to craft a clip that fully realises his vision, fusing intimate performance footage with shots of two people who are urged not to lose faith as they await the sunshine after the rain. As Ellery elaborates, “We really wanted a video that showed the message of the song. Demons is all about the struggles we all face in life. The video follows the stories of two people just trying to work through their ‘demons’ in life. One is a lady trying desperately to be in a body she loves and the other is someone who is working a job he hates and hoping to get away. I wanted to make a video that hits emotions that we have all experienced in life.”
Having first emerged onto Melbourne’s diverse music scene close to a decade ago, Ellery Cohen has continued to push the boundaries of artistry at every opportunity, crafting anthemic choruses that allow an accessible and relatable insight into the human condition. With a remarkable run of singles appearing throughout 2018 and 2020, and garnering support from the likes of Hit Network, KIIS Network, and Southern Cross Austereo, his gathering momentum was temporarily halted as Ellery was forced inside as part of the world’s most stringent lockdown. However, armed with a history of using music therapy in his line of disability support service work, creativity served as a much-needed saviour, with new music bubbling away all the while, resulting in the likes of 2021’s Waiting and the newly-released Demons. With new music under his belt and the Australian music scene looking far more positive than it has in recent years, Ellery is set to return to the stage in his native Melbourne at The Toff In Town on July 22 with good friends Kodah and Sarah Kabbani. Eager to share the likes of Demons before an adoring crowd, and to get back into the groove of providing raw and powerful live performances, Ellery says he’s planning to ensure his upcoming show is one to remember. “You can expect new songs, high energy, and some very, very bad jokes,” he quips.
Demons is out today, July 14.
RICH WEBB SHARES NEW SINGLE ‘I DON’T MIND AT ALL’
Just a few months on from his most recent release, critically-acclaimed Melbourne alt-country singer/songwriter Rich Webb has returned with another stellar single, sharing the summery I Don’t Mind At All. The latest taste from his forthcoming album, RIGHT!, I Don’t Mind At All shimmers with the visceral, welcoming warmth of the summer months, evoking imagery of hazy, sun-kissed days spent with a sense of clear-eyed freedom and warmth.
Powered along by lyrics that reside within the inner recesses of our memories, and instrumentation as dreamy and carefree as the subject matter itself, I Don’t Mind At All focuses on the little things that make up our mighty memories. Working with his talented band (including Matt Dixon, and Oh Mercy’s Rohan Sforcina, to name a few), and with Sforcina and Wakeman joining Rich on production duties, the resulting track transports the listener back to “a certain place and a certain time”. Inspired by the likes of Khruangbin, Dirty Projectors, Rickie Lee Jones, and Jack Johnson, Richchannels the effortless abilities of these artists to succinctly capture emotion and feeling through song, taking the listener back to the seemingly inconsequential moments which resonate forever. As Rich explains, “It tries to capture that feeling of the sun and the freedom that can come in summer and with summer holidays. About those times where you leave everything behind and live in the moment – these moments can feel like they last forever. It’s about that feeling of freedom, connection, and fun you get on holidays with people you love.”
As heartfelt as it is emotive, I Don’t Mind At All is bathed in the youthful sheen of early nostalgia, where those formative memories are first planted, and remain to this very day. As its subtitle – Bring On Summer – indicates, the majority of its focus is on the summer months, which traditionally hold a sense of comfort and youthful peace. As Rich recalls, the idyllic nature of these summer months have followed him around the world and throughout his life, informing his outlook all the while, “When I was a kid, that used to be three weeks or so in an orange family tent with my Mum and Dad and two brothers, often beside a beach in Wales. Here, it’s been heading out in an old column shift Ford Falcon down the Great Ocean Road for a few weeks when my brother and best mate came over, or the other way with my family to Marlo or Mallacoota. Just lovely dreamy times where you forget about work and the things that bug you or get in the way, and spend time together, just living for the moment and having fun.”
A staple of the Australian music scene for more than two-and-a-half decades, Rich Webb has curated a career as a truly mesmerising artist whose reputation precedes him. With numerous albums to his name, Rich’s inimitable command of music and lyrics has seen him attract global attention throughout his storied career, with 2019 even bringing with awards for Alt-Country Album Of The Year and Alt-Country Single Of The Year at the Independent Music Awards in New York. Now, four years on from the release of his last album, Le Rayon Vert, Rich is set to unveil his next record, RIGHT!, later in the year. Preceded by February’s Love Someone, 2022 is unfolding as a banner year in the career of one of the country’s most revered artists.
I Don’t Mind At All is out today, July 22.