01 December 2023 - 0 Comments

Thomas Powers, co-founder of the award-winning synth-pop band The Naked And Famous, has today released the delicate post-classical new single Half Pirouette. This is the third single to be unveiled off his forthcoming debut LP A Tyrant Crying In Private, set for release in 2024.

Listen to Half Pirouette HERE

Half Pirouette is post-classical at its finest, and a masterclass in how to elicit powerful emotion through texture, melody and space. Powers has given these instruments voices of their own, as they work together to pull the listener into their own introspective world.

“I have always been deeply inspired - both as a listener and creator - of instrumental music,” says Powers. “Often, beginning with a purely instrumental piece is vital for me to find the motivation to write lyrics, but music without words can transcend language. I hope that Half Pirouette doesn't need an explanation, but that its meaning is unmistakable.”

Written by Thomas Powers and Luna Shadows, the track’s stunning Cello was performed by Jake Saunders. Powers produced and engineered the single himself, before mixing it with Beatriz Artola. Half Pirouette was then mastered by Joe LaPorta.

“These days, I enjoy dancing at home in my living room and kitchen, but I've mostly been afraid to dance,” says Powers about the creation of the music. “In my youth, few situations seemed to warrant it, and it often felt performative. I do, however, love making music for others to dance to, and Half Pirouette is a song I wrote for my partner to take to her ballet rehearsal.”

Today’s release is the third single to be released off Powers’ debut LP A Tyrant Crying In Private, following the cinematic single Falling Down The Stairs and the ethereal track Li, which featured fellow New Zealander Chelsea Jade. Falling Down The Stairs reaching #10 on the Hot 20 NZ Singles, with Li debuting to widespread local media support from the likes of RNZ, Newstalk ZB, Rolling Stone Magazine, Sniffers, and more.

Powers’ formative years in New Zealand are punctuated by the meteoric rise of The Naked & Famous; where in 2010, they burst from hometown heroes into international stardom with their double platinum, synth-soaked superhit Young Blood. In following years, The Naked & Famous would go on to release four more albums featuring critically acclaimed Hearts Like Ours and Higher. Now finally stepping out from behind the curtain, Powers’ solo debut positions him centerstage, breathing life into an airless, electronic soundscape that cannot be ignored.

A Tyrant Crying In Private will arrive in the first half of 2024, and feature celebrated artists such as Julien Baker, Chelsea Jade, Rob Moose, and Now Now. With Powers stepping even further into new sonic territories for the upcoming LP, there’s every reason to pay full attention to what’s to come from Thomas Powers.

“Venturing into the sonic landscape of Half Pirouette felt a little intimidating, coming from a rock/guitar background,” says Powers. “But Bowie said, "If you feel safe in the area you're working in, you're not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you're capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don't feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you're just about in the right place to do something exciting."

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