07 October 2022 - 0 Comments

Alt-pop artist Blake has been releasing one stunner after another, and today released her much-anticipated EP Skeptical + previously unreleased single Damn.

Blake’s songwriting talents take centre stage on the project, with her ability to articulate events and emotions in a direct and engaging manner shining through on each track. Having spent many years writing vocals on other artists’ songs, the four-track EP marks the start of a new musical era for Blake. The artist says that all songs are based around navigating dating in your 20's, including some of the “unexpected situations you find yourself in along the way.”

“Sonically this project blends the different elements that I love across soul, electronic and alternative music, formatted into digestible pop structures with the lead vocal taking centre stage.” Alongside new single Damn, Skeptical also includes popular title track Skeptical and singles You Don’t Decide (Official NZ Hot 20 Singles Chart), and CPU (#6 Official NZ Hot 20 Singles Chart, #28 Hot 40 Singles Chart, #10 RadioScope Most Added, ZM Locals Only feature artist).

Originally inspired by a TikTok trend, Blake says Damn is a song about how even the most staunch feminist can be transformed into a 60’s housewife the moment they meet a love match they are smitten over. “The lyric ‘damn you, didn’t want to get involved - now I'm cooking for him, in my gender role’ summarises the theme of the song in a satirical way, it captures how many people often find themselves slipping into the role of housewife despite best intentions to uphold chore equality.”

Originally written over a guitar riff, Blake says that the production brief was to keep the track as a ‘palate cleanser’ to balance out the full pop production/structures of the other singles on the EP. “Damn does not adhere to a traditional pop structure, but also does not sell short on melody or groove.”

Don’t wait any longer - listen to Blake’s brilliant Skeptical EP HERE

To celebrate the release of Skeptical, Blake is performing a very special show at Auckland’s Wine Cellar on 13 October with support from Katie-Lee. Tickets are available on UTR HERE

Hailing from Queenstown NZ, the now Auckland-based Blake was not so long ago in the UK, where she’d spent five years honing her craft and immersing herself in the rich London music scene. During her time in London, she was sought out by some of the UK’s top drum and bass producers for her writing talents and unique vocal tone, to write and record vocals in the genre. She was nominated for ‘Best Vocalist’ at the 2017 Drum and Bass awards and has amassed over 5 million streams on Spotify on her feature tracks, with releases across Hospital Records and Shogun Audio. Her approach and philosophy in music are centred around authentic songwriting, re-telling personal experiences in metaphorically unique ways. Drawing inspiration from an eclectic range of music, she cites her core musical influences as being Jordan Rakei, Amy Winehouse and Julia Michaels. 2022 marks a new musical era for Blake, as she continues to develop her songwriting and hone her sound. There is no doubting Blake is a talent on the rise!

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