15 November 2024 - 0 Comments

Aotearoa’s alt-indie star Rita Mae today reveals her outstanding sophomore EP, Kiss The Sky, along with the poignant new lead single When You Go.

Listen to Kiss The Sky HERE

Intoxicating guitars pull every ounce of your being into feeling what Rita’s feeling. Dynamic and gritty, Kiss The Sky is a world of exhilarating emotion that moves seamlessly between moments of quiet introspection to walls of sound that overwhelm the senses. Lyrical themes of being unapologetically yourself are woven throughout, with Rita explaining that the overarching theme revealed itself when she was under a spell of confidence she’d never felt before.

“I just felt so unafraid to be bold and bright, like I could admit all my biggest hopes and dreams and not feel embarrassed about them,” Rita continues. “It felt good to write songs that came from this place of overconfidence for once, rather than my usual tendency towards self-deprecation. When I perform the songs I’m almost convinced that I’m actually that brave!”

Kiss The Sky features an all-star cast of collaborators, including Grammy®-nominated producer Leroy Clampitt (Justin Bieber, Laufey), Kyle Berzle (Tove Lo, Broods), Josh Bruce Williams (Ruelle), Alisa Xayalith (The Naked and Famous), Harry Charles (Tate McRae, ratbag), Joel Jones (Balu Brigada, alayna) and Noémie Legrand. Mixed by award-winning engineer Aaron Short, the EP was mastered by Andrew Downton.

“It was a very new experience for me working in such a collaborative way, as I wrote all the Superfeeling tracks (except Night Drive) completely alone,” says Rita. “As a person who has always been an extremely introverted and solitary songwriter, it was an incredible revelation to realise that not only could I work with people to create music I love, but I could actually enjoy it (maybe even prefer it!).”

“I still love writing alone, but I think working with people captures a particular magic and energy that just can’t be recreated by yourself in your bedroom. If it was a fun day hanging out and writing, you can feel it in the track - all the tracks on Kiss The Sky are some of the most enjoyable songwriting days I’ve ever had.”

The track record of success with the EP’s singles is undeniable, with Poster Child most recently reaching #10 on the Hot 20 Aotearoa Singles Chart. Prior to that, My Bad spent 5 consecutive weeks upon RadioScope’s Alt Chart. Her tracks have been shared by Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Sniffers, NZ Herald, Coup de Main, ZM, Hype Medium and more.

Rita Mae has been making waves in Aotearoa’s alt-indie scene since she started releasing songs like the stirring The Secret's Out in 2021 and then the effortlessly cool Candy’s House in 2021. In 2023 she unveiled her EP Superfeeling Deluxe, which featured Candy's House (Comedown Song). In 2023, Rolling Stone AU/NZ magazine tipped her as “one of eight Kiwis artists tipped to take over”, saying “Music is in her DNA, and Rita Mae’s future as an artist in her own right looks very bright indeed…”

This Aotearoa summer will see Rita Mae performing at Slackbarn: the new Hawke’s Bay music festival taking place on January 18, 2025. Tickets on sale now HERE

Kiss The Sky is a refreshingly bold project that is every bit delicate as it is gritty. “Listen while driving down a quiet highway late at night. Or, at a party with your besties.” Rita continues: “Or - when you have a ginormous embarrassing crush on someone and you need to scream into the void about it.”

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