07 October 2022 - 0 Comments

Princess Chelsea is the musical project of Chelsea Nikkel (she/her), a musician and songwriter based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland).

STREAM EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT

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The new album Everything Is Going To Be Alright is an exemplar of her singular Princess Chelsea vision, her strength as a collaborator, and as a live performer. For this album, Chelsea’s instrumental arrangements are inspired by her live band, whose interpretations of her bedroom recordings have produced a legendary and somewhat surprisingly ‘heavier’ show than what one might expect.

Album focus single Love is More is a jangly guitar pop gem that presents as an ode to the Flying Nun guitar bands of Aotearoa. It’s lyrics seem basic at best until you realize by the second verse that it’s actually about the complexities of an abusive relationship. This makes one ponder the meaning of the chorus “Love is much more than a beautiful feeling”.

The Forest, recorded live in one take with Chelsea and full band at Auckland, New Zealand’s beloved ‘The Lab’ showcases dynamic walls of guitar and an impassioned vocal performance. It is a striking deviation from her output so far providing further introduction to what she has termed her ‘guitar album’.

Chelsea’s skills as an arranger and producer are on full display throughout the album but often this is in the form of intricate guitar arrangements that nod their heads to The Cars and the Breeders (Forever is a Charm), and classic New Zealand Flying Nun bands of the 80's and 90's (Love is More).While the album marks a significant musical development, her trademarks are still here – classic 80's Synths (Yamaha DX7, Roland D-50), layered melodies, orchestral instruments, dreamy vocals, twisted pop that has often drawn comparisons to Julee Cruise.

Standout Forever is a Charm with its minimal groove based guitar arrangement is reminiscent of The Motels, before it movies into a Breeders-inspired chorus of “When you’re with me, I feel like I could die / Die / Die / Die.” The loud-soft pop song has never been more funny as Chelsea describes the track which could be mistaken for a love song as being about “boring fake people”.

Guitars take a dreamier tone on Dream Warrior, which is an example of a classic Princess Chelsea arrangement that has often drawn comparisons to Enya. In true princess fashion, shimmering lightness is used to illuminate darkness when she sings "Truth be told I don't wanna grow old, but I wanna grow old with you".

The album is framed by twin title tracks, and between them, Chelsea begins and ends her personal journey of healing. It is a sincere yet unsettling album, which builds tensions and releases them. Cinematic opener Everything is Going to Be Alright is a marriage of 60s girl group style pop (think Shangri-La’s) and bedroom doom. Chelsea’s favorite trick of delivering earnestly happy lyrics over a minor sets an unsettling tone and suggests she doesn't necessarily believe what she is singing.

The closing title track Everything is Going To Be Alright Pt.2 was recorded in collaboration with band member Joshua Worthington-Church on guitar and bass, and is an epic 6 minute ode to personal recovery. Beginning as a sparse vocal performance set against an organ in a minor key, it suddenly moves into cascading cannoned vocals set against major chords that cleverly release into an introspective and beautiful alt-country tinged power-ballad. Chelsea has never been more sincere or vulnerable and when she sings “I think of you sometimes / And it makes me feel blue / Then I walk outside / And everything's gonna be alright - we finally believe her".

Happening throughout December, Princess Chelsea's Everything Is Going To Be Alright tour promises to be one of the biggest and best of her career. The shows will be a sensory explosion full of elaborately stage dressings, live visuals and at least five synthesisers and three glockenspiels.

Catch Princess Chelsea performing in Wellington at Meow on December 9, in Auckland at the Powerstation on December 10, in Dunedin at Dive on December 17, and in Christchurch at 12 Bar on December 18.

Joining Princess Chelsea on all four dates is Ōtautahi's Mousey, who released her critically acclaimed indie rock album My Friends earlier in the year. Described by Undertheradar as "glorious, explosive jangly power-pop," and the NZ Listener as "immensely catchy, memorable pop-rock" you'll want to be at the show as soon as doors open. Tickets are on sale now - get 'em before they're gone!

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Photo Credit: Frances Carter

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