Quickly earning a reputation as one of the hardest working bands in Australian music, Eora/Sydney based indie pop quartet, GRXCE today return with new single, What U Want – capping off an incredibly fruitful year that has seen them share the stage with Adam Newling and The Rions and receive praise from Rolling Stone, triple J and more.
Not one to ever shy away from confronting subjects, vocalist Jamila Grace embraces independence in What U Want, tackling the song’s themes with a tongue-in-cheek ferocity that embodies the irritation of being in a one way relationship.
“‘This is the first time I’ve written from someone else’s perspective. A friend sent me a song he’d written about a date he went on and this one line about the girl asking to take herself home, rather than be driven by someone else really stuck out to me,” explains Jamila.
Produced and mixed by ARIA-nominated producer Aidan Hogg (G-Flip, Jaguar Jonze) & drummer Alex Berger, What U Want is a melodically driven slice of sleek, alternative pop that solidifies GRXCE’s commitment to continually evolving their sound. Blending lyrical vulnerability with dancefloor melancholy, the song not only captures the essence of the band’s debut single, Pretty Boy, but showcases maturity in both their artistry and musicianship.
“This track is equally the most different and most us we’ve sounded in comparison to our other releases. Aidan played a massive role by adding the main synth line that gave the track a much needed face lift – taking it from something we’d maybe release to something we had to get out in the world,” says Jamila. “It really takes me back to writing and creating our first ever single, but has a sense of growth and a little bit of seriousness about how confused and frustrated someone who doesn’t know what they want can make you feel in a relationship.”
To finish 2023 in true GRXCE fashion, the band are spending all of December on the road, supporting the likes of Pacific Avenue, The Terrys, Mid City and Beddy Rays across NSW before bunkering down in the studio to start recording their debut EP.
“I almost immediately started writing the juxtaposing perspective to the story, which eventually transformed it from a song about a bad date into a cautionary tale of bad habits and finally being able to put your foot down to someone who isn’t clear about their intentions.”
With thanks to Habit Music
