Tag: Gretta Ziller

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“All These Walls” – Gretta Ziller

When Gretta Ziller released her sophomore album Judas Tree, she declared “I don’t want to do the same thing twice.” She stays true to her resolve with the release of her third album All These Walls, an eclectic collection of songs that challenge our perceptions of the alt-country genre.

Gretta might have been nominated for a Golden Guitar, but she’s so different from so many of the artists who make their names at Tamworth. As with her last album she plays with genre, dabbling in pop, soul, blues, and roots. She lays her feelings bare with stunning country ballads like “Dear Damascus” and “Golden Days, encourages us to dance along with bops like “Ain’t Even Your Lover” and “St Louis”, and makes us pause to take in every note of poignant soul-stirrers like “Here I Am” and “Who Knows.” While the album takes us on a sonic journey, Gretta’s beautiful warm voice and knack for storytelling are ever-present forces that unite the material. You always feel like you’re in good hands as you listen, no matter the twists and turns.

I’ve been listening to All These Walls for the last week or so, and honestly, I enjoy it more with every listen. Every song stands up in its own right, but together they beautifully reflect an artist exploring her space in the world, her relationships with others and herself. All These Walls is out today. Gretta Ziller is currently touring, playing mostly acoustic solo shows that really allow her to connect with her audience and the audience to connect with these songs. You can still catch her at the following gigs:

25 August 2023 – The Noojee Hotel, Wurundjeri Country/Noojee
26 August 2023 – George Lane, Euro Yuroke/St Kilda
27 August 2023 – Bayview Country Arts Club, Bunurong Country/Bittern
19-23 September 2023 – Americana Fest, Nashville
29 September 2023 – Deni Ute Muster, Barababaraba Country/Deniliquin
16 November 2023 – Qirks, Wanaruah Country/Kurri Kurri
17 November 2023 – Wingham House, Birrbay Country/Wingham
19 November 2023 – Can You Keep a Secret, Meeanjin/Brisbane
1 December 2023 – The Palais, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Hepburn Springs
26 January 2024 – Moonshiners, Kamilaroi/Tamworth

Images used with permission from On the Map PR; main image credit: Noah Sole

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gretta Ziller Releases Fabulous Single “Bones” From New Lockdown Album

If the first songs released are any indication, Gretta Ziller’s new album will be fantastic. She’s dropped her powerful new single “Bones,” but that’s not all. Stream it online and you can also hear the exquisite ballad “Dear Damascus” and another sassy new song, “Ain’t Even Your Lover.” Gretta penned “Bones” during a songwriting exercise for Song Club, a group she joined in 2020 to get through the pandemic lockdowns.

“Bones’ is about my love of music. Playing instruments, songwriting and singing isn’t something I have chosen to do. It was never one of many options for my life. It is the only thing I have ever planned, dreamed & wished to do in my life. From a kid with a violin, that loved to create. To a teenager who played any instrument she could and sung all the time in all the choirs and musicals and everywhere else. To releasing my first EP to now, where I’m touring and performing my own music all over Australia…. Music is in my bones.”

Gretta wrote and recorded all the songs that make up her third studio album All These Walls during the many lockdowns in Naarm/Melbourne. They explore the emotional walls that are put up while we’re confined by physical walls, but she promises it won’t get you down.

“All These Walls is my joy album. I spent the past few years healing and growing, I feel like I am finally back to the place I was when I first started playing music just for the love of it. Many of the tracks on the album are about my loves, for music, for singing, for my family, for my partner. Of course they are disguised in the expected minor rock infused sounds.”

Gretta releases All These Walls on August 25. She’s got a bunch of dates before and after it drops, so make sure you see her wherever you can!

4 August 2023 – The Old Presbyterian Church, Oryang-Ora Country/Springwood
5 August 2023 – Humph Hall, Dharug Country/Allambie Heights
12 August 2023 – Star Hotel, Dhudhuroa/Yackandandah
13 August 2023 – Hydrant Food Hall, Wadawurrung Country/Ballarat
19 August 2023 – Smiths Alternative, Ngambri Country/Canberra
20 August 2023 – The Curious Rabbit, Wiradjuri Country/Wagga Wagga
25 August 2023 – The Noojee Hotel, Wurundjeri Country/Noojee
26 August 2023 – George Lane, Euro Yuroke/St Kilda
27 August 2023 – Bayview Country Arts Club, Bunurong Country/Bittern
19-23 September 2023 – Americana Fest, Nashville
29 September 2023 – Deni Ute Muster, Wamba Wamba and Perrepa Perrepa Country/Deneliquin
16 November 2023 – Qirks, Awabakal Country/Kurri Kurri
17 November 2023 – Wingham House, Birrbay Country/Wingham
19 November 2023 – Can You Keep A Secret, Meeanjin/ Brisbane
1 December 2023 – The Palais, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Hepburn Springs

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gretta Ziller Drops Fun New Single “Ain’t Even Your Lover”

Gretta Ziller has me grooving to her upbeat new diss track, “Ain’t Even Your Lover.” If you’re strutting away from the wrong relationship, this song is your new anthem.

“It’s a song about giving your time and emotion to someone. And that someone being a leech – just sucking and sucking and taking and taking – and it not being a real human relationship, where it’s give and take,” Gretta said. “It’s a little bit sarcastic and a little bit sassy, like, ‘I’ve done everything and I didn’t even get sex out of it!’ It is also about being hurt by that person and the things you learn along the way. The most frustrating thing about that whole adventure was the way I let myself be treated; I rolled over, and I was so disappointed in myself for letting that happen!”

“Ain’t Even Your Lover” came out of a weekly songwriting club Gretta joined in 2020, which challenged her to write a song every week. So something good did come out of those lockdowns! Hopefully we hear a few more of those gems really soon. Gretta will play the following shows in the coming months:

4 & 5 March 2023 – Country by the Bay, Bunurong Country/Frankston
9 March 2023 – The Gov, Tarntanya/Adelaide (supporting Ian Moss and Troy Cassar-Daley)
9-11 June 2023 – Let’s Wing It Festival, Geawegal Country/Scone

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Judas Tree” – Gretta Ziller

“I don’t want to do the same thing twice,” Gretta Ziller says in the press release for her sophomore studio album Judas Tree. The album is more than just a departure from the gentle folky sound of her debut, Queen of Boomtown. It’s also an album that deftly explores genres. One thing’s for sure, you won’t get bored listening to this one.

Gretta embraces her country roots but you couldn’t really call Judas Tree a country album. You hear glimpses of it in the gentle slide guitar notes of the opening track “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” and the rebellious nature of “Cinder Ash & Ruin.” But Gretta prefers to pair her country influences with swampy blues and classic rock sounds. It gives her music a bit more edge than the tracks so many female country artists release today. Not that she can completely resist the pull of pop music. “Stockholm” is an energetic guitar-pop banger. Despite the crunchy guitar opening, “Damage Done” is also rooted firmly in the pop space. Many of the tracks show Gretta’s strength, but she’s not afraid of letting her vulnerability shine through on the gentle acoustic guitar ballad “Jericho” and the poignant closer “Dear Love Letter.” Just when you think you’ve got Gretta pegged, she changes direction, showing you yet another side of her talent.

One thing that struck me listening to Judas Tree was just how powerful Gretta’s voice is. Sonically it’s commanding, standing tall even among lushly layered instrumentation. But that strong voice also comes through in her songwriting. It’s some of the best I’ve heard, honest and so relatable. Her voice anchors these songs, ensuring that no matter what genre she’s playing with, it’s unmistakeably Gretta Ziller.

Judas Tree is out now. Catch Gretta live at one of her upcoming shows:

24 October 2021 – Commonfolk Coffee, Mornington (with Clint Wilson)
26 March 2022 – Country by the River, Murray Bridge

Images used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gretta Ziller Releases First Single Under ABC Music

Gretta Ziller has celebrated her new record deal with ABC Music with the release of a new single “Unlikely Believer.” There is such a quiet strength about this song. I love the resolve in Gretta’s vocals and the powerful lyrics that show she’s a woman who knows herself.

“I wrote Unlikely Believer to remind myself that although I’ve been through a lot in life that it’s harder but so much more rewarding to keep believing in things, rather than dwelling on the hurt and hardship,” she said.

ABC Music has welcomed Gretta with open arms. Natalie Waller, the head of ABC Music and Events, gushed “We are thrilled to have Gretta join the ABC Music roster. We have been impressed by Gretta’s achievements over the last three years. She is such an accomplished singer and songwriter, and we are excited to work with her to take her music to an even wider audience.”

Gretta’s 2017 debut album Queen of Boomtown received widespread acclaim. I’m excited to see what else she releases with ABC Music.

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute