Premiere: Merpire drops a beautiful new single, Lately, ahead of Aus festival shows

Melbourne-based musician Merpire is someone we haven't really covered before and honestly, that's a damn shame. Over the last two years, the musical alias of Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt has been one of the Melbourne indie scene's most consistent up-and-coming names, going from strength to strength with every release since her 2017 debut single, Holding Breath. Her debut EP, last year's Endless Chatter, was one that really placed Merpire on the map, leading to her signing to management company Fright Night Music before headline tours, support slots for Angie McMahon and Didirri, plus a stand-out set at BIGSOUND, really made her one to keep an eye on going into 2019.

Today we show you exactly why Merpire may just be your next favourite act, premiering her first release of 2019 Lately ahead of what's bound to be a big year ahead. It's a soft, emotive piece of shimmering indie-pop that unites a lush, guitar-driven instrumental with her soaring vocal, which blends this faint, DIY-esque tinge you'd expect from most indie darlings with a slick pop twist, not too far off what you'd expect from someone like Jack River or Ainslie Wills. It's bright, yet seemingly moody and sombre at the same time, giving somewhat of a masterclass of what slick Australian indie-pop should sound like. It arrives with a music video directed by good friend Nick McKk, which as Merpire explains, comes from an unexplained purchase of rollerskates (sorta like when you go to Kmart wanting to buy one thing but come home with enough house decorations for a three-story mansion). "Instead of buying necessities for my room when I first moved to Melbourne, I came home with roller skates that I never used until now. I thought teaching myself to roller-skate for the video would be a great representation for the meaning of the song - moving on, unsteady on my feet but going at it full pelt anyway," she says on the video. "Nick is a good mate of mine and he’s an absolute delight to work with. He really got the vibe I was going for and made it even dreamier than I imagined on that suburban street. He was also there to physically catch me between takes when I couldn’t make myself stop. I came out with only one small knee graze - worth it."

It's a shimmering delight of really well-done indie-pop that sets Merpire up beautifully for a strong year ahead, so watch the single's video clip and catch her at a couple of festival shows over the next few months - dates below.

Tour Dates: 

Saturday 9 March – Sunday 10 March - A Festival Called Panama, Lone Star Valley
Friday 15 March - Brunswick Music Festival, Melbourne
Friday 29 March 29 – Sunday 31 March - By The Meadow, Bambra
Friday 26 April – Sunday 28 April - Bendigo Autumn Music, Bendigo 

Follow Merpire: FACEBOOK