Interview with Merpire

Australian artist Merpire is someone whose music I have had on repeat since my first listen. Her latest single 'Village' was included in my monthly playlist and has been in my rotation for a while now. I was very excited for the release of 'Simulation Ride', Merpire's debut album, which is out now! I had the chance to catch up with Merpire about 'Village' and the release of 'Simulation Ride', and the inspiration behind the songs.

Hi, how are you?

Hello! What a nice interview question - I'm doing all right, thank you. Up and down like a human :D

How would you describe your sound to the readers?

Mmmm... my experience is always going to be different to anyone else listening. The facts though - I play with dynamics a lot. There's loud, walls of electric guitars and drums, and then really delicate vocal moments. The overall sound is pretty chill in tempo. I try to drive the honest, emotional, slightly quirky lyrical content with production elements to fit, with the help of my amazing producer, James Seymour. He has a skill for leaving tasty little sonic moments everywhere.

Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

This is always changing and flowing for me. At the moment I'm inspired by a bunch of different artists for songwriting, melodies, production, visuals. At the moment these are Rosie Tucker, Sorry, Japanese Breakfast, Jay Som.

Your latest single ‘Village’ is out now! Lyrically you have said that this song is about “tackling self-doubt, comparison to others and the realisation that you can’t be everything and everyone to one person”. Could you explain more about the inspiration behind the song?

The inspiration for the lyrics came from two very different places. The main message is about how fragile my mental health and confidence was in a new relationship. I'd moved to Melbourne a month before the beginning of our relationship so I was trying to find my feet, a new life, new friendships whilst starting a new relationship. My psychologist as well as how safe my new partner made me feel, even when I thought he was seeing me at my worst, really helped. The other part of the song is the comparison of nurturing friendships and relationships with the way the Bell birds, native to Australia, nurture this insect called a Psyllid. I had a job as a boat tour guide in the Botanic Gardens at the time, and this was some of the flora and fauna I pointed out on the tour.

Do you have a favourite lyric or line from this song?

"You are living sugar refinery. I am a species, addicted.”

With this single you have also announced your debut album ‘Simulation Ride’ which is out on July 23rd. You’ve said the album is about finding positivity in anxiety which I think is a really important sentiment. What do you hope people will take away from listening to ‘Simulation Ride’?

Anxiety is an extremely isolating feeling when you're deep in it. Sometimes no matter how much you remind yourself when you're out of it that it's all going to be ok. I always find hearing other people talk or produce songs about anxiety really helps to take the aloneness out of it. I feel very grateful that I'm able to use some of my musical expressions as a way of processing my anxieties. As well as that, I make music to get swept up in that other world we daydream about. To create feelings and emotions that can't really be explained. I hope listeners will feel whatever they need to when listening to the album. Whether it's comfort, an escape, creating a new memory and even being annoyed that they're listening to it, haha! I'd rather someone hate it than not be moved by it at all if I'm honest!

What’s next for you?

Hopefully, some shows! I've got the album coming out in July and then a really special album launch in Melbourne planned for after that.

And lastly, what music have you been listening to recently? Anything you can recommend to us?

Oh! I have so many recommendations! It is no exaggeration when I say I am surrounded by incredible artists here in my Melbourne community so just to name a few there - RAT!hammock, Plastic, Mimi Gilbert, Middle Kids. In other parts of the world, some of which I've mentioned above - Sorry, Japanese Breakfast, Cherry Glazerr (in particular 'Big Bang'), Rosie Tucker, Spirit Of The Beehive, Slow Pulp. I could really go on forever..

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions for us, I am really excited for the album and wish you luck with the release.

Make sure you all go and give 'Simulation Ride' a listen, it's well worth your time. Merpire is definitely an artist who I will be following for any new releases as I have enjoyed this release so much. I will leave links below for her social media pages as well as Spotify links to the album.

Thanks for reading, until next time...

Listen to Simulation Ride on Spotify here.

Listen to Village on Spotify here.

Follow Merpire on Spotify here.

Follow Merpire on Instagram here.

All After Midnight links here.

Music submissions and enquiries to aftermidnightblog1@gmail.com