01 July 2022 - 0 Comments

You Don’t Decide is the beautifully vulnerable and powerful new track by indie-pop artist Blake.

Blake says this song captures her strong and self-assured side, as well as the sensitive and vulnerable parts. “You Don't Decide deals with themes around consent and drawing a line in the sand in terms of treatment received from others, specifically those closest to you. It’s a song about realising your self-worth and detoxifying your life from people who overstep your boundaries.

I wrote this song whilst still living in London, mid-2020, during the first year of the pandemic and it stuck with me. I was just waiting to find the right person to help me bring the song to its full potential.” That person turned out to be New Zealand producer/collaborator Ben Malone. “Ben was a pleasure to work with and helped get it to where it needed to be!”

Sonically, You Don’t Decide draws influence from gritty-leaning pop artists such as Lorde and Holly Humberstone and is predominantly driven by the lead vocal. The vibe of the track is uplifting and upbeat, driven by the introduction of the drums in the second verse and electric guitar riff throughout. The song finishes with a raw, roomy sound - just singer and piano - a powerful and befitting finish for the song.

You Don’t Decide is the second single from the Blake’s upcoming EP. Her first single Skeptical was released during New Zealand Music Month 22’ and was received with great excitement by her fans, media and the industry. The video for Skeptical was also greatly celebrated for its breathtaking locations, cinematography, choreography and how it complimented the track.

Hailing from Queenstown New Zealand, Blake spent the past five years in the UK honing her craft and immersing herself in the rich London Neo-Soul and Jazz scene. During her time in London, she was sought out by some of the UK’s top drum and bass producers to write and record vocals in the genre. She was nominated for ‘Best Vocalist’ at the 2017 Drum and Bass awards and has over 5 million streams on Spotify on her feature tracks, with releases across Hospital Records and Shogun Audio. Her approach and philosophy in music is centred around authentic songwriting, re-telling personal experiences in metaphorically unique and interesting ways, taking influence from artists such as Jordan Rakei, Amy Winehouse and Julia Michaels. She released her debut EP Home Truth in 2019, which Clash branded as ‘meaningful pop with subtle soul and jazz influences.’ Blake is now working with some of New Zealand’s top emerging producers to complete her second EP project, blending her past and present musical influences of soul, electronic and pop music to generate something fresh and unique.

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