GREG GOULD RELEASES POWERFUL SEXUAL ABUSE ANTHEM ‘WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION?’
Primal, moody and inescapably moving, the powerful new single Who Gave You Permission? out today from Australian powerhouse Greg Gould is a potent blend of pop, soul and searing intimacy. With an accompanying music video slated to land next week, and also set to captivate crowds with his latest release live in action throughout 2024, including onstage at SYNTHONY, Australia’s biggest orchestrated dance party this June, Gould also vigorously tackles exceedingly difficult narrative terrain via Who Gave You Permission? with unwavering finesse and poise.
Opening with a melancholic piano line, Who Gave You Permission? swells alongside Gould’s cogent vocals, ultimately building into a formidable primal pop anthem. Equally gripping musically as it is lyrically, Who Gave You Permission? weaves nods to the likes of Benson Boone, Rag’n’Bone Man, Teddy Swims and Sam Smith while also profoundly detailing an exceedingly personal experience for Gould himself. “To be honest I’m only just starting to feel comfortable to talk about this,” shares Gould. “The first time I performed the song live I burst into tears. I have been a victim of sexual abuse on four separate occasions in all very different circumstances from when I was 10 years old, right up until I was 30. Each time left me feeling so violated, so powerless, paralysed. Nobody has the right to touch you without permission. No means no. It was a very emotional, heart wrenching and confronting experience to write this song to be honest as I’d pushed a lot of those feelings and experiences down and hadn’t dealt with them – it took a while for me to be ok to admit it. There is a stigma around sexual abuse in general, and I do think it can be really difficult for men who are the victim – whether it be at the hands of another man or a woman. In my case, it was both on separate occasions. I want other men to feel comfortable to talk about this and speak up too.”
Seeking to empower fellow survivors through Who Gave You Permission?, Gould co-wrote the compelling new single with Benedict, working alongside Gould to unpack his trauma and ultimately pen a connective and sonically robust ode to survival, along with production by Sydney duo Cressbrook, with live strings composed by Ryan Youens. With a striking music video set to accompany this deeply powerful song on April 20, filmed in Gould’s home state, the clip for Who Gave You Permission? flourishes with its sonic elegance alongside poignant visuals to further amplify the driving message at the track’s core. “The music video features a protagonist moving through an old house,” shares Gould.” As they enter each room, a different storyline unfolds, each scenario reveals as we move back and forth between the rooms. I wanted to highlight that sexual abuse can happen in many forms and in many ways…without over-dramatising or sensationalising it.”
A creative cauldron from way back, Greg Gould began singing the moment he could talk; a talent which ultimately followed him to securing the runner up slot at the grand finale of Australia’s Got Talent in 2013. Following his Australia’s Got Talent success, Gould has gone on to generate millions of streams as well as views of his award-winning videos, perform multiple sold out shows and festivals, tour the globe and ignite charts at home and abroad; and all while continuing to foster and grow an authentic connection with his fans through his heartfelt creations. From snagging the #1 spot on the iTunes Albums charts via his 2020 album 1998, through to collaborating with En Vogue’s Maxine Jones (“a real pinch me moment”, Gould shares), Gould’s proudest moment to date remains releasing his first-ever self-directed music video, a cover of En Vogue’s 1996 smash single Don’t Let Go (Love) with the song’s heart wrenching video having amassed an impressive 20 million+ views. Fast-forward to 2024, and Gould has embraced the mixture of excitement, anxiety, nerves and relief to unveil the vulnerable yet hopeful Who Gave You Permission?, with the latest track also offering a hint as to what’s to come from Gould’s debut album of original songs, Strings Attached, set for release July 12, including his duet with one of the Philippines’ most successful artists, Morissette called Love It All Out (co-written by Bachelor Girl’s Tania Doko) which recently hit over 1 million views on TikTok. Gould has also written and performed the main song for the credits of a new Australian feature film getting its theatrical release later this year, which is set to debut at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Set to perform Who Gave You Permission? at an array of events this April and June, fans can expect to hear Gould’s latest track live in action alongside many other original songs. As to what fans can expect in the not too distant future? “Whether the subject matter is darker or lighter, guests at my shows can expect big vocals, big moments and lot of fun,” Gould enthuses. “I love to perform and I’m excited for the next 12 months! I’ve got big plans and even bigger dreams. I am so proud that Who Gave You Permission? is out now and I’m moving forward both personally and professionally! I would love if even one survivor of abuse feels stronger as a result of hearing this song. I want people to know they are seen, they are heard and they are believed. We won’t be broken.”
Who Gave You Permission? is out now.
Strings Attached is out July 12.
Listen: WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION?
Stream: WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION?
GREG GOULD – UPCOMING SHOWS
KEEP THE FAITH – GEORGE MICHAEL & WHITNEY HOUSTON
SAT 13 APR | LOEV, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from loevmoorabbin.com | All Eventbrite Outlets
GREEK LEGENDS OF THE 20TH CENTURY
SAT 20 APR | STATE THEATRE, SYDNEY NSW | ALL AGES
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au | All Ticketmaster Outlets
GREEK LEGENDS OF THE 20TH CENTURY
FRI 10 MAY | PALAIS THEATRE, MELBOURNE VIC | ALL AGES
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au | All Ticketmaster Outlets
KEEP THE FAITH – GEORGE MICHAEL & WHITNEY HOUSTON
SAT 18 MAY | ROYAL BRIGHTON YACHT CLUB, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from trybooking.com
SYNTHONY
FRI 7 & SAT 8 JUNE | CARRIAGEWORKS, SYDNEY NSW | 18+
Tickets available from www.carriageworks.com.au
OHMS RELEASES WHIMSICAL NEW SINGLE ‘BIMBO’S INFERNO’
A fantastical journey welding art rock, progressive rock, synth pop and more, the brand new single Bimbo’s Inferno out today from boundless Melbourne creative Ohms is an intricate and unpredictable ride that marks a first single ahead of a, yet to be announced, full length album.
Peeling layers of oscillating genres and foreboding yet playful theatricality, Bimbo’s Inferno also dazzles with starry-eyed melodics interplaying between sudden sinister stylistic shifts. A pop song at its core immersed in woozy vocals and intergalactic instrumentation, Bimbo’s Inferno never wholeheartedly commits to any one genre for long, instead finding Ohms, aka Melbourne artist Hugo Ivers, exploring inspiration from a galaxy of sonic corners, including R. Stevie Moore, MGMT, XTC, The Cleaners From Venus and the early works of of Montreal. “I think I was just so attracted to the intricacies, both subtle and glaring in all their respective works, it made me think to myself “hey, great music doesn’t have to follow a particular formula if I don’t want it to!”. It excited me deeply to think that I could try my hand at composing something simultaneously pop-centric, and completely unconventional.”
With instrumentation performed dominantly by Ohms himself, who also took on the producer’s role, Bimbo’s Inferno also brought together additional instrumentation recorded by Timothy Dunn, drums recorded by Stu McKenzie, mixing by Ohms and Andrew Robinson at Rolling Stock Studios, and mastering by Mikey Young. And amid the long journey to finally releasing his new single, Ohms drew inspiration from his surrounds in Melbourne, conjuring an unsettling personal nightlife experience into musical form via Bimbo’s Inferno. “It’s not really inspired by anyone, but rather just a tongue-in-cheek pop song about my ineptitude to engage in Melbourne nightlife,” shares Ohms. “I was, and still am, somewhat of a creature of habit, finding more comfort in working on projects by myself into the wee hours, rather than hitting up various pubs and clubs. I remember a rare occurrence years ago where I emerged for a night out with friends, feeling like a fish out of water as we traversed the streets of the inner northern suburbs. I always had some strange, foreboding sense of paranoia once the sun died out and entered the evening. Anyway, the following day I read an article about the same bar we drank at burning down that very night. Suffice to say I didn’t head out on the town for a number of months following that.”
Drawing the Ohms creative name from studies in audio engineering and the necessity of the project’s namesake in the recoding and production process, Ivers’ grew up immersing himself in a vast tapestry of music from his parents’ extensive record collection, spanning 80s soul, 70s progressive rock, 60s folk and 20th-century classical music in his early childhood. Finding fascination in imagery conjured by certain music in his youth, Ivers also inevitably found himself drawn to “an overwhelming attachment to the romanticism of being a ‘musician’ from a very young age”. A multi-instrumentalist, seeking to experiment and understand each instrument intuitively, Ivers evolved into working to reverse-engineer melodies and sounds emanating from his creative consciousness; a process that would blossom with organic magnetic results. “I liken it to Brian Eno’s approach of replacing the element of skill with the element of judgment,” says Ohms. “If it works in my mind, I will seek out what I am hearing internally, in spite of whether I am technically proficient enough to achieve it.”
With Bimbo’s Inferno marking the first step towards a planned upcoming full length album, Ohms is set to entice listeners deeper and deeper into his creative soul; and it’s a journey that has kickstarted with an unforgettable bang. “Unpredictability, intricacy, and colour are elements I’ve always strived for when creating music, and Bimbo’s Inferno exemplifies this effort,” Ohms concludes. “Duality in my music is very important to me, and because of this, I’ve never truly known how on earth to present my music, whether there is even an audience for it. Ultimately, creative pursuits are a deeply personal effort, so the only audience in mind has always been myself. But, naturally, I hope that the madcap, warped pop song that Bimbo’s Inferno is crawls its way into the hearts and ears of those who appreciate its absurdity.”
Bimbo’s Inferno is out now.
CLOE WILDER SHARES ETHEREAL NEW SINGLE ‘AFTERGLOW’ EP ‘I SPENT MY SUMMER ON THE ROAD’ SET FOR RELEASE APRIL 19
A stunning mix of romance and nostalgia, the new single Afterglow from American singer-songwriter Cloe Wilder is a shimmering modern folk gem, marking an ethereal step closer to the release of Wilder’s impending new EP I Spent My Summer on the Road, set for release on Friday April 19.
A folksy ballad soaked in acoustic guitar and dreamy melodics, Afterglow also features glossy vocals from both Wilder and her long-time collaborator NICOLOSI, with the track reminiscent of Bon Iver and Lana Del Rey caught in a gauzy trance. Simultaneously introspective and wistful with celestial overtones, Afterglow ultimately evolved from a melancholic narrative, as Wilder elaborates, “Escaping from locations is a big theme in my songs, but I also love the concept of leaving someone behind. Afterglow sort of morphed into this story of two people growing apart in the wintertime; the understanding that the house has gone cold and there’s no way to imagine what that could feel like until it happens. I absolutely love that visual.”
Working alongside NICOLOSI for both Afterglow and its overarching EP, I Spent My Summer on the Road, Wilder also teamed up with Grammy Award-nominated engineer Adam Grover (Maggie Lindemann, Zach Bryan, Dizzee Rascal) and videographer/photographer Jesse DeFlorio (Matt Maeson, Imagine Dragons, American Authors) to bring her creative visions to life, with the accompanying lyric video for Afterglow seamlessly reflecting its subject matter, as Wilder offers, “I wanted to reference the essence of Afterglow. It’s a little bit of a nostalgic nod to classic folk with the super 8 look, but I feel that Sam and I wanted to give it a post-modern twist.”
Following on from her debut 2021 EP Teenage Lullabies, Wilder spreads her sonic wings on her upcoming EP, with I Spent My Summer on the Road traversing everything from stripped-back bedroom pop (Little White Pills), to coming-of-age odes (Fake ID), lush indie swoon (Take It In), folk-hued warmth (Afterglow) and enraptured calm (Five Years). And while still laden with youthful exuberance following the release a few years ago of her debut EP at the age of 14, I Spent My Summer on the Road is a stirring and disarming experience, with Wilder once again finding magic alongside NICOLOSI and an array of influences, as Wilder explains, “I started writing with Sam when I was 14 and working on my first EP. I honestly didn’t let him go after. Lana Del Rey is my ultimate reference for everything. Bon Iver, Matt Maeson, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes, The Lumineers, Florence & The Machine, and so many more came into play. This EP is a testament to the last three years of my life. It’s my coming-of-age scrapbook through the lens of being 17 and confused. In the course of processing that evolution, I started to accept it and I had to write about it.”
Emerging as a teenager armed with earthy melodies, wistful narratives and gossamer vocals, Cloe Wilder’s innate ability to evoke warm and familiar melodies with her witticism and heartfelt lyricism aligns her comfortably as a Floridian young Taylor Swift, with sonic poise well beyond her young years. Dabbling in the bedroom pop realms of Lana Del Rey and Phoebe Bridges as well as folk and modern sentimentality, Wilder is as much a confidante as she is a conduit for evocative and memorable music. With her previous single Call Me If You Need Me currently in command of over 1 million individual streams, Wilder also has an array of live performances in her wake, including Breaking Sound in Los Angeles, and supports with EMELINE, Spencer Sutherland, Steinza and is currently on the road with Charlotte Sands. And in 2024, her journey continues with the impending release of her sophomore EP, I Spent My Summer on the Road.
“I put out my first EP out when I was 14, so I’m beyond excited for this new introduction,” Wilder concludes. “These songs are really important to me, and I’ve loved being able to grow with them.”
Afterglow is out today, Friday March 29.
I Spent My Summer on the Road is due out on Friday April 19.