Q&A’s: Waxflower Talk About Their New Single ‘Ring’

Words/Interview by Tracey Moyle {Music Maven Events}

In case you missed it, Brisbane alt/pop-punk powerhouse Waxflower have dropped their first new single for 2022 – Ring. The track is a hook heavy, personally deep diving track that is the perfect follow up to previously hit Soak.

Waxflower may be relatively new to the scene but they have already journeyed further than many local bands have dreamt. In just over two years they have performed alongside global heavyweights Simple Plan, The Maine, Stand Atlantic & The Dangerous Summer and signed with European label Rude Records (Saves The Day, Less Than Jake, The Maine).

To find out more behind the new single and what is coming up for the band, our pop-punk aficionado Tracey Moyle set the Q’s eager for the bands A’s. Check out what is happening in the world of Waxflower.

Congratulations on the upcoming new song Ring. The song has that classic pop punk formula with deep set lyrics offset to an optimistic beat. You have said in a press release the song was written at a time of self-doubt about your career as a musician. Can you give us some more insight into the journey behind the song’s evolution?

It’s about my self-doubt as an artist. It’s really easy for me to get caught up in the reception of lack thereof around the music we put out. I don’t take time to look back at the wins and am too quick to move onto the next thing. It’s me reminding myself that I have some worth in the industry.

The last 2 years have been a very challenging time for the music industry. What’s the best piece of advice could you give any artist going through the same feelings?

We’ve been really lucky in that we’ve been able to record and release music during the last couple of years. We’ve all been able to maintain work outside of the band as well, so it’s just the mental battle of opportunities lost and plans getting cancelled. All we can really do is keep pushing forward and do everything in our power to get music out there.

The world is going through a pop-punk resurgence right now. I feel like Australia has some of the best alt rock and pop rock bands around. You’ve had some international attention with your previous single Soak, are you excited for the opportunity to show the world how amazing Aussie bands are right now? And what is your next move toward the international arena?

That was definitely the plan as soon as we signed with Rude in 2019, just before everything shut down. It’s still the dream for us, we want to get overseas as soon as possible. It’s been great to see pop punk bands from Australia pave that path over the last decade.

Getting back to Soak briefly, you had a different energy with that track. It dove into the heavier side of your sound. This direction gained the band some well-deserved attention. Even getting airplay on BBC Radio 1. Then going back further, your track Not Alone had that brilliant Aussie alternative feel. Now your latest track Ring is taking the sound back to that upbeat melodic vibe the band are known for. When you’re writing new music do you find yourself challenging your creative self and pushing for something different or do you just allow the music to flow and trust the process?

I don’t usually set out to write anything with a specific sound or genre in mind. I was raised on myspace music so all sides of that coin make it into our songs. Whether that’s the heavier stuff like Soak or the bubble-gum pop-rock you hear in Ring, it’s all influenced by the music I grew up on.

Good Call Live were there when Waxflower supported Simple Plan on the Gold Coast back in December 2019. Was that a moment early in your career that inspired you to reach beyond what you thought you could achieve?

2019 as a whole was such an amazing year for the band. For me, it kind of validated that desire to pursue music with everything I’ve got. It was the first time in my life that people had cared about my creative output.

I ticked off so many bucket list items that year. It sucks because it felt like we had all of this momentum, and then COVID hit. Suddenly it’s been two years and we haven’t gotten to tour. I just want to get back to the feeling I had coming out of that year; I think that’s what’s pushing me.

There is so much new music coming out around the world now that the pandemic is losing its grip. Which bands would you say are current influences for you right now?

We’ve just started writing again after a break and I feel like what I’m listening to will seep in. At the moment I’m listening to a lot of 90s/2000s emo, 2000s post hardcore & all of the TikTok pop punk revival artists.

Has Waxflower got plans in motion for any upcoming shows, either supports or headlining tours you might have in the works?

We’ve got a couple of tours in the works! We won’t jinx them by spilling the beans here, but with a small bit of luck, we should be seeing a bit more of Australia than we did last year. It will be a much-needed kickstart I think.

What would you say has been the highlight of your career so far and if you could manifest anything for the band what would it be?

Being able to connect with such an incredible, caring audience has been the biggest highlight of this band. The people who support this band truly care about the music, the progression and everything in-between and that is amazing.

As for manifesting – we just want to tour overseas!

Thanks for your words. We look forward to more new music and seeing Waxflower live again very soon.

Check out Waxflower’s new single Ring out now via Rude Records.
Listen/download HERE.