Tag: Greta Stanley

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Real Love in Real Life” – Greta Stanley

Greta Stanley is an artist who refuses to be pigeonholed. Just when you think you’ve got her figured out, she takes a left turn. It’s exciting. She showcases the full breadth of her artistry on her sophomore album Real Love in Real Life.

Real Love in Real Life seems like a pop record at first. The upbeat vibes of tracks like “Plant My Feet” and “Keep My Cool” match the vibrant pinks and purples on the album cover. It’s incredible pop music, energetic and fun and fresh. And then just like that, we’re on track six, “Heartbeat Harbour”, and everything changes. It’s darker, bluesier, more raw. “Hold on You” brings back the pop beats, but doesn’t shake that darkness. We’re getting to know another side of Greta. It’s different but so compelling. As the album progresses, it seems like Greta Stanley peels back more layers. “Favourite Songs” and “Close Call” are some of my favourite songs. The instrumentation is pared back, giving the honest lyrics space to breathe. They’re confessional, like diary entries, giving us real insight into the artist and her experiences. The current single “Red Earth Dirt” sees Greta return to pop princess mode, bringing the album full circle … or so I thought. However, Greta leaves us with the title track, a beautiful country song that sounds like it’d be at home in a honky tonk bar.

I must admit, it took me a little time to warm up to Real Love in Real Life. All the twists and turns took me by surprise. While I heard flashes of brilliance on the first couple of listens, I needed a little time to embrace the album as a whole. However, by the third listen, I was hooked. This is an album that challenges the listener, but since when was that a bad thing?

Real Love in Real Life is out today. She’s giving us a couple of months to familiarise ourselves with the songs before she hits the road for her headlining tour. Check her out at the following venues:

7 July 2022 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
9 July 2022 – Waghorn to West Festival, Ipswich
14 July 2022 – La La La’s, Wollongong
15 July 2022 – Waywards, Sydney
16 July 2022 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
22 July 2022 – Suburban Vibes, Western Australia
23 July 2022 – Four5Nine, Perth
30 July 2022 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
5th August 2022 – Otherwise Bar, Townsville
6 August 2022 – Tanks Art Centre, Cairns

Images used with permission from Six Boroughs

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Greta Stanley Gives Taste of New Album With “Close Call”

The raw vulnerability of “Close Call,” the latest track from Cairns artist Greta Stanley, has really struck a chord with me right now. It’s the kind of song that stops you in your tracks, drawing you instantly with its vulnerable lyrics and gentle electronic melody.

“‘Close Call’ actually started as a set of lyrics that I’ve had for ages … years actually,” Greta admitted. “I always liked these words, so Tristan and I wrote new music to them. It’s about being frustrated with people’s egos, needing solitude and trying to step away to protect myself. It’s a reminder to myself not to be manipulated or get lost in someone else’s world. The chorus lyric – “draw those blinds, I need an honest light” is basically me saying you can’t hide in the daylight.”

“Close Call” comes from Greta’s forthcoming sophomore album which is due to drop early next year.

“Coming from Mena Creek, a tiny town south of Innisfail and being based in Cairns for most of my 20’s, I’ve felt so grateful to be able to collaborate with other local creatives for the recording of my new album,” Greta explained. “I believe Cairns hosts a lot of talent. The record was predominantly recorded with two Far North Queensland-based producers, Tristan Barton and Mark Myers, who I have been musically involved with since the beginning of my career in music. Tristan also plays drums in my band. I’ve also worked with two incredible female photographers who I plan to work with again for videography. I’m so proud to have the support of a great artist community up here. I can’t wait to share the album with everyone.”

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Greta Stanley Drops Super New Single, “Soak Into This”

Greta Stanley has been a little quiet this year, but isolation seems the perfect time for her to break her musical silence and share some more sweet indie-pop tunes. Her latest is “Soak Into This,” a real ear-pleaser with breathy vocals, lush synths, and an infectiously catchy melody.

“It’s about having fun and the exciting feeling you get when you enter a new relationship, whether it’s romantic or a friendship,” Greta explained. “I wrote it thinking about all the fun I’d been having in my new relationship, the nights out with friends, festivals … but then the slow and more intense moments [are] where you really feel something growing.”

Greta co-wrote and produced this track with Germany’s Tobias Kohn, who’s worked with talents like Milky Chance, Alec Benjamin, and Dean Lewis. Matthew Neighbour (Courtney Barnett, Matt Corby) mixed while Matt Agoglia (Cage the Elephant, Spoon) took care of the mastering. Talk about a dream team! Their expertise shows too, with “Soak Into This” being one of Greta’s best tracks yet.

If you like what you hear, tune in to The Kitchen Sessions featuring Greta Stanley on Saturday, April 18 from 7 p.m. You’ll find all the details in the Facebook event page.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Greta Stanley Drops Beautiful Single “When January Comes” Ahead of Album Release

Greta Stanley gives a masterclass in capturing a sense of time and place with her new single “When January Comes.” The song about growing up in Far North Queensland is a nostalgic delight.

“Summer in far north QLD, a heat that swallows you … I wrote this song watching people around me change through the seasons, the crystal-clear waterfalls, and the backyards of friend’s houses, the company you keep and that bittersweet holiday heat. As much as we complain there is some kinda special feeling around that time of year up here that I can’t quite explain,” she explained.

“When January Comes” comes from Greta’s debut album Full Grown, a collection of songs which tackle what it means to grow up with its discovery and loss of love and constant changes.

“The LP is about all of the bad stuff, and the good stuff, and how unfortunately, one wouldn’t really exist without the other,” Greta adds. “It’s about learning, hurting, coming completely unstuck and then somehow finding your feet again – life is big and scary but it’s big and beautiful too, and it’s easy to sometimes forget that there’s a world outside the door of your own.”

Thankfully there’s not too long to wait to hear more; Full Grown drops tomorrow!

Image used with permission from Title Track