PLAYLIST: June 2025

The Get In Her Ears team have put together another eclectic mix of indie musings, alt-folk tunes, punk bangers, immersive electronics and some grunge & shoegaze anthems for your listening pleasure. Take some time to scroll through our recommendations below.

In order to best support the female, LGBTQIA+ and non-binary artists that we love here at GIHE, we will be moving away from using Spotify as a streaming platform in the near future. You’ll see that we’ve included YouTube or bandcamp links for all of the tracks in this feature. We have included the link to our GIHE profile on Spotify this time too – but next month, we’ll be using a different platform to share new music with you.

As always, we encourage you to follow the artists below on social media, sign up to their mailing lists, go to their gigs and buy their records from bandcamp.

Whitelands – ‘Heat Of The Summer’
Despite its buoyant, dream-pop sound, this single from London-based shoegazers & GIHE faves Whitelands is inspired by a range of unsettling pieces of media that vocalist Etienne was affected by last year; including Trump coming back into power, the shooting of a CEO by Luigi Mangione and Spike Lee’s film, Do The Right Thing. ‘Heat Of The Summer’ is his reflection on rising tensions and how community and coming together can help to overthrow tyrants. Whitelands will be playing a headline show at London’s Corsica Studios on 20th November – tickets are on sale now.
(Kate Crudgington – Features Editor)

Starling – ‘I Can Be Convinced’
Having recently released their new EP, Forgive Me, Los Angeles based Starling’s latest single offers a fizzing ode to all-consuming love. As Kasha Souter Willett’s sugar-sweet sumptuous vocals flow alongside fuzzy hook, ‘I Can Be Convinced’ builds with an anthemic energy and twinkling allure. Watch the ballerina-filled new video for ‘I Can Be Convinced’ here and make sure you treat your ears to a listen of the full EP.
(Mari Lane – Managing Editor)

Daffo – ‘Habit’
I’ve been a fan of Daffo since their 2023 EP Pest, and was so pleased to be able to catch the beautiful energy of their live set at The Great Escape last month – standing in the crowd alongside faves like ARXX and Comic Sans was a definite highlight of the festival. Now, I’m super excited to hear that the LA based artist will be releasing their debut album in September, and has released a new single to celebrate. Propelled by scuzzy reverb-soaked hooks, ‘Habit’ reflects on songwriter Gabi Gamberg’s struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with a sparkling heartfelt emotion. Where The Earth Bends, the upcoming debut album from Daffo, is set for release on 26th September via Concord Records.
(ML)

Lipstick Teef – ‘Sink Or Swim’
Not only do I love the name of Liverpool-bred, London-based alt-rock band Lipstick Teef, I also love the angst-ridden sound of their debut single ‘Sink Or Swim’. Formed in 2021 by vocalist Lucy Pengelly and guitarist Jennifer Hall, Lipstick Teef are “on a mission to deliver surf inspired grunge from across the cosmos, straight to your eardrums.” Inspired by the Riot Grrrl movement and their love of psych-punk, the band have now fleshed out their own fuzz-fuelled sound on their debut offering. (KC)

The Dead Zoo – ‘Bruise’
Ahead of releasing their debut album next month, post-punk faves (and guests on our latest radio show) have shared a blistering new single. Reflecting on both the pain and triumph of transformation, ‘Bruise’ combines swirling atmospherics with ‘80s-inspired dark basslines to create the sonic equivalent of a nocturnal drive through a Lynchian landscape. As the resonant fierce power of front woman Kaoru Sato’s vocals glistens throughout, it showcases The Dead Zoo’s ability to create pulsating, multi-layered soundscapes that will immerse your senses on first listen. We’re super excited to be hosting The Dead Zoo’s album launch this Friday, 4th July, at New River Studios with support from shoegaze supergroup Water Deer and mother-daughter punk duo (coming all the way from Texas!), The Mothermold – tickets on Dice now and cheaper in advance. (ML)


SPRINTS – ‘Descartes’
Dublin four-piece SPRINTS are back with a BANG with new single ‘Descartes’. Along with this incendiary new track, the band have shared the news that they’ll be releasing their second album, All That Is Over, on 26th September via City Slang and Sub Pop – the first Irish band to be signed to the iconic American label! ‘Descartes’ is inspired by the ideas of the French philosopher of the same name. I was lucky enough to attend SPRINTS’ album-listening party a few weeks ago, where I heard this track and others from their upcoming record for the first time. No spoilers – but you’re in for an absolute treat. (KC)

Problem Patterns – ‘I’m Fine and I’m Doing Great’
It’s always an exciting time for us here at GIHE when Belfast punks and total faves Problem Patterns release new music. So, to hear that a new EP is on the way later this year, is very welcome news, and a angst-driven new single is just what we need right now. A seething reflection on burnout, ‘I’m Fine and I’m Doing Great’ races with a fierce, fizzing energy, oozing the band’s trademark perfect fusion of righteous impassioned energy with a searing tongue-in-cheek wit. Of the track, bassist Ciara King explains: “This song is an ode to every single burnout episode that any creative has ever had… I wanted to contrast that with how grateful we are for all of our achievements. I do feel like I’m well and truly living the dream… This song is addressing that feeling of the love/hate relationship involved in doing music full time and still working full time. This one goes out to all our burnt out pals. Keep going.”

Boring Songs For Boring People, the upcoming new EP from Problem Patterns, is set for release on 12th September via Alcopop! Records and we CANNOT WAIT to celebrate the new release with them when they headline our special 10th birthday all-dayer event at The Cavendish Arms on 27th September, along with other faves Fightmilk, The Baby Seals, Ray Aggs, Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic Something and more! Very limited tickets left here.
(ML)

Shallow Honey – ‘What You Made Me Do’
Having been lucky enough to catch Brighton-based Shallow Honey’s immersive set at Cro Cro Land earlier this year, I was very happy to hear that they’ve been releasing new music. Reflecting on the frustration around not being heard, ‘What You Made Me Do’ seethes with a fierce energy as the impassioned vocals of front woman Rai blast out alongside gritty, grunge-inspired hooks. (ML)

Porcelain Doll – ‘Self Destruct’
Another Brighton-based band, Porcelain Doll blew us away playing live for us at The Cavendish Arms earlier this year, and since been busy releasing new music. Recent single ‘Self Destruct’ showcases the band’s ability to create swirling rock anthems with a raw emotion. Speaking about the track, front woman Freja explains: “I wrote the song while struggling with chronic pain and depression, it’s about feeling as if my body and mind are both working against me.” (ML)

STRANGE WOMAN – ‘FAKE VALENTINE’
‘FAKE VALENTINE’ is the raucous debut single from Scottish-born, Manchester-based queer hard rock artist STRANGE WOMAN. Described as “an ode to failed love” and “an expression of frustration in trying to navigate romance as a queer, gender non-conforming, young person,” STRANGE WOMAN’s sound is inspired by the fiery sounds of Måneskin, Yungblud and Cassyette. (KC)

Your Heterosexual Violence – ‘House Outside The World’
‘80s cult punks Your Heterosexual Violence are back – after imploding in 1988, they reformed just before the pandemic, with the addition of GIHE fave, Jemma Freeman, on bass and vocals. Marking their re-entry into the world, they’ve announced a new album and have shared a catchy new single. Propelled by a driving punk energy, ‘House Outside The World’ reflects on themes of loneliness, alienation alongside the sparkling power-chords and a singalong chorus; an instant earworm set to cement this established band as firm favourites once more. Some People Have Too Much To Say, the upcoming new album from Your Heterosexual Violence, is set for release on 26th September via Trapped Animal / Ferocious Doge records. (ML)

Twin Rains – ‘Magic Mountain’
I was thrilled to see another email from Toronto dream-pop duo Twin Rains in my GIHE inbox earlier this month. I’ve really enjoyed listening to the band’s heady electronic creations and this new single is no exception. Described as “their most pop and dance orientated song yet” ‘Magic Mountain’ is full of intoxicating riffs, dreamy vocals and driving beats. (KC)

Tiiva – ‘you and i’
‘you and i’ is the title track from Tiiva’s debut album, which they released via Moth Day Records last month. We’re big fans of Tiiva’s idiosyncratic electronica here at GIHE and this track showcases Tiiva’s talent for seamlessly blending pulsing beats, soft vocals and ambient electronics to create their immersive and emotive sonics. Congratulations on crafting such a superb album Tiiva! (KC)

Aether Speaker – ‘That’s For The Nosebleed’
This is the dreamy second single from London-based four piece Aether Speaker. Recorded on the Summer Solstice last year at Strongroom Studios – where the Spice Girls recorded their iconic single ‘Wannabe’ – ‘That’s For The Nosebleed’ is about “going after what you want, even if it’s bad for you”. I love the band’s blend of lush vocals, ambient riffs and gentle percussion on this track. (KC)

Bleach Lab – ‘Close To The Flame’
“I was heavily inspired by bands like slowdive and my bloody valentine when writing the lyrics and melody for ‘Close To The Flame’,” shares Bleach Lab’s vocalist Jenna Kyle. “I wanted it to feel like the end scene of a coming-of-age romance film…it’s about an all consuming relationship, where you’re so obsessed with someone you almost want to merge into one and become them.” Full of Kyle’s lush vocals and the band’s fuzzy, dream-pop riffs, ‘Close To The Flame’ is the title track from Bleach Lab’s upcoming EP, which is set for release on Friday 18th July. (KC)

Midwife – ‘Signs’
Another gauzy piece of ambient shoegaze here from GIHE fave Colorado-based multi-instrumentalist & producer Midwife. ‘Signs’ was a b-side from her album No Depression In Heaven, which I’ve had on repeat since it was released in 2024. (KC)

SOFIA ISELLA – ‘DOG’S DINNER’
The music of 20-year-old violinist, songwriter, producer and poet Sofia Isella is inspired by a myriad of dystopian influences. The L.A-based artist cites Trent Reznor, Ethel Cain and Beck, as well as Sylvia Plath, Margaret Atwood, Mona Awad and Anne Sexton as her inspirations. The result is an eclectic, beguiling sound steeped in theatricality. This track ‘DOG’S DINNER’ is lifted from her recent EP, I’m camera., which she released in May. SOFIA will be playing live in the UK this summer, including a show at Camden’s Electric Ballroom on 26th August, as well as slots at Reading and Leeds Festivals. (KC)

Lydia Night – ‘Gutter’
Having founded LA punk-rockers The Regrettes at the age of fifteen, Lydia Night is now branching out on her own. Ahead of the release of her debut solo album in August, she has now shared a brand new single. Fizzing with a sultry allure with shades of the electro-clash energy of Peaches, ‘Gutter’ offers a playful, synth-driven slice of art-pop reflecting on feelings of lust and longing. Parody Of Pleasure, the debut solo album from Lydia Night, is set for release on 8th August via Warner Records. (ML)

The Noisy – ‘Twos’
Founded by award-winning poet Sara Mae, Philadelphia-based synth-poppers The Noisy have shared a sparkling new single. Flowing with a glistening, cinematic soundscape, ‘Twos’ offers a perfect fusion of honey-sweet pop sentiment with scuzzy grunge-inspired hooks. The track is accompanied by a wonderfully queer, silent movie-esque new video – Sara Mae explains: “The music video literalizes the too much-ness of the story, Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Grey Gardens meets two dates to the prom.” (ML)

Automatic – ‘Is It Now?’
Returning to our ears after forming nine years ago, LA trio Automatic have announced the release of a brand new album, which is due for release this autumn, and have now shared the lead title track. Shimmering with synth-driven hooks and a glitchy energy, the playful call-and-response refrains ooze shades of the party-punk vibes of Le Tigre whilst maintaining a unique celestial splendour. Drawing on the conflict between being rebellious and engaging in mass culture, the track raises the question: “how do you have a sense of joy while the world seems to be collapsing, and you feel so powerless?” (ML)

Little Simz – ‘Venom’
I was lucky enough to catch the legend Little Simz live at Royal Festival Hall last week in the closing performance of the annual Meltdown Festival that she had curated. Accompanied by the Chineke Orchestra, it seemed to be a beautiful culmination of not only the past week’s events, but of her career’s achievements so far. With the orchestra’s sweeping majestic splendour accompanying the innovative artist’s gritty energy and stirring narrative, it was a pretty epic experience to be a part of. And a particular highlight of the set was the immense introduction of ‘Venom’ – Little Simz conducting the orchestra before turning to the crowd as she rapped with stoic conviction: “Never givin’ credit where it’s due ’cause you don’t like pussy in power. Venom.” Read our full review of the night here. (ML)

Blue Loop – ‘The Knife’
I’m so pleased that I unearthed this shape-shifting gem of a track from London-based electronic producer Emma Hall aka Blue Loop in my GIHE inbox. Emma has recently recovered from breast cancer (and is now thankfully in remission) and she’s ready to share new music with her loyal followers. She describes her shadowy single ‘The Knife’ as “an imagined letter to my surgeon written in the lead-up to my mastectomy. It’s a visceral scream from an impossible situation and has a darkness to it in the vein of Massive Attack/Warpaint.” The track is lifted from her upcoming debut album, Cycles, which she describes as “a miniature-epic song cycle about resilience, grief and defiant joy, weaving together unflinching, intimate vocals, analogue synth-scapes and diverse musical collaborations” including guitarist Karin Grönkvist (Junodef), bassist Alex Malseed (About Bunny) and strings composer Amy Chalmers (Bill Ryder-Jones). (KC)

Sontag Shogun x Lau Nau – ‘Tropic Movements’ (Amulets Rework)
I’m so glad I found this collaboration between Finnish musician Lau Nau and Brooklyn-based trio Sontag Shogun buried in my GIHE inbox! It’s taken from their recent album, Päiväkahvit, which is a follow-up to their critically-acclaimed record, Valo Siroutuu (2022). The new project includes 9 tracks that the artists worked on during their sessions together in Finland back in 2019, as well as four interpretive reworks including this one by Amulets – who I am a big fan of! Incorporating field recordings, tape, as well as acoustic and electronic instruments, ‘Tropic Movements’ is just one captivating example of the immersive body of work these talented collaborators have managed to create. (KC)

The New Eves – ‘Cow Song’
The GIHE team have been waxing lyrical about Brighton folk-punk four piece The New Eves since we caught them at The Great Escape Festival in May. Their dynamic blend of classical instrumentation and punk spirit is a fascinating live phenomenon. This track ‘Cow Song’ features on their debut album, The New Eve Is Rising, which is set for release on 1st August via Transgressive Records. We’ll definitely be at their London headline show at Hoxton Hall on 7th October. (KC)

Goat Girl – ‘Sleep Talk’ (chamber ensemble)
Another band I was lucky enough to catch at this year’s Cro Cro Land, longtime South London faves Goat Girl are now sharing something quite different from what we may be used to. A year on from the release of their latest album, Below The Waste, they are now sharing four reimagined renditions of its tracks. Scored and arranged by the band, these classical compositions were played live in the room with a DIY chamber ensemble made up of rising young musicians and artists in their own right, Aga Ujma & Slow Cooked. Flowing with sweeping strings, ‘Sleep Talk (chamber ensemble)’ showcases Goat Girl’s beautifully resplendent harmonies in a newly majestic light. (ML)

Jacob Alon – ‘Fairy In A Bottle’
I’ve actually been pretty late to discover Jacob Alon, or ‘Cob’ as I think they prefer to be known. I’d been hearing the name for a while, but recently listened to an episode of the Sidetracked podcast with Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw where they spoke to them, and Cob just seemed like such a thoughtful, sensitive soul and wonderful creator. So, I immediately listened to their album In Limerence and was completely spellbound. And since then I’ve not stopped listening, the whole collection is just exquisite – really beautiful. Having recently supported Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Royal Albert Hall, and played Glasto this weekend, I  can’t wait to finally see them live at Deer Shed festival next month! (ML)

Kathryn Williams – ‘Personal Paradise’
Set to release her fifteenth (!) album in September, Kathryn Williams has now shared the first taste from the collection. Inspired by a poet-led writing session, ‘Personal Paradise’ twinkles with delicate, folk-strewn melodies and Williams’ distinctive luscious vocals, offering a heartfelt reflection on her old dog and its perceptions of what might constitute heaven. A beautiful insight into the vulnerability and personal reflection that shimmers throughout the upcoming album, Mystery Park, which is set for release on 26th September via One Little Independent Records. (ML)

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LIVE: Little Simz – Meltdown Festival, Royal Festival Hall (22.06.2025)

A balmy Sunday evening in June, and the closing night of the annual Meltdown festival at London’s Southbank Centre. This year’s eleven day event has been curated by innovative artist, and personal favourite, Little Simz, and has included performances from Tiwa Savage, Lola Young, Mahalia, The Streets and more; showcasing an eclectic range of talent and musical styles. And now, to mark the festival’s finale, Little Simz herself takes to the stage, not only accompanied by her trusted band, but by the 42 strong Chineke Orchestra – a collective predominantly consisting of black and ethnically diverse musicians.

Taking place inside the renowned Royal Festival Hall, it seems like the perfect setting for such a memorable event; and, as the orchestra starts to deliver the opening bars of ‘Introvert’, oozing a formidable sense of cinematic grandeur, excitement ripples from wall-to-wall of the jam-packed space, before Little Simz appears, glowing with a sparkling energy, as though she’s been waiting for this moment her whole life. And perhaps she has; the creator of six albums, winner of multiple awards, and often hailed as the country’s best rapper, in addition to being a respected actor, it feels only right that her journey has lead her here – performing to a sold out crowd of family, friends and fans of all genders, ages and backgrounds. A beautiful culmination of not only the past week’s events, but of her career’s achievements so far. 

Continuing to deliver tracks spanning this impressive career, from the gritty energy of this year’s ‘Thief’ and a soulful rendition of ‘Peace’ with collaborator and childhood friend Miraa May (“… we used to sing together in the park while she played guitar”), to songs from her previous albums like the passionate reflection of 2022’s ‘Heart On Fire’ (in which she flits throughout the aisles, greeting the crowd with an endearing warmth), and the catchy singalong refrain and angst-driven power of ‘I Love You, I Hate You’, from 2021’s Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.

Whether she’s delivering new or old tracks, however, Little Simz’s immense dedication to giving us the most enjoyable and entertaining performance possible remains consistent; fluctuating between a fierce raw emotion and sweeping euphoric energy, there isn’t a moment that she doesn’t seem fully immersed in sharing her innovative creations with us. 

Little Simz’s commitment to sharing and collaborating is evident in the many special guests that join her on stage throughout the night. In addition to Miraa May, frequent musical partner Obongjayar joins her in bounding across the stage with a buoyant energy for ‘Lion and Point’, whilst prominent grime artist Wretch 32 weaves throughout the crowd whilst interacting with Simz for the poignant to-and-fro dialogue of ‘Blood’ as Cashh intersperses with his reggaeton-inspired rhymes. She also seems intent on shining a light on her band, continually encouraging us to notice just how cool and talented they are, like in playful new album track ‘Young’, changing some lyrics to “Martha’s gonna play her bass here” as she highlights her bandmate’s fierce hooks.

As well as the band driving Little Simz’s trademark gritty energy, the addition of the Chineke Orchestra adds a perfect sweeping majestic splendour to the already powerful tracks. Providing a cinematic backdrop to the innovative artist’s stirring narrative, the grandeur of soaring strings and whirring woodwind rippling throughout the set at the hands of charismatic conductor Chris Cameron helps to create a wonderfully immersive, captivating atmosphere, adding to the epic memorable proportions of this very special performance. A particular highlight of the set being when Simz takes the reins from Cameron for the immense introduction of ‘Venom’, conducting the orchestra before turning to the crowd as she raps with stoic conviction: “Never givin’ credit where it’s due ’cause you don’t like pussy in power. Venom.”

Whilst many of Little Simz’ tracks, like ‘Venom’, stem from a sense of anger or injustice, which sizzles throughout the set, she’s also not afraid to share a more vulnerable, sensitive side – as she introduces the title track from her latest album, for example, she shares with the crowd that the album came to be after a period in which she’d struggled with her self-esteem and being able to create: “… it was a very, very challenging time: losing my self-confidence and feeling like I didn’t know how to find it again. I didn’t know how to make music; I didn’t know how to start a verse. I just felt very depleted, so I wrote a song about it.” Cue the soulful, heartfelt emotion and beautifully raw honesty of ‘Lotus’. 

Throughout the performance as a whole, an endearing sense of pride and gratitude emanates from Simz; you can really feel the emotion oozing from the stage. Whether that’s a fierce reflection on personal struggles, an impassioned push for change on a wider level, or a more nostalgic sentimentality, there’s no doubt that what she’s sharing is real; it’s honest, it’s empowering, and it’s inspiring. And I think this really reflects the meaning of the new album, of the Lotus, as Simz explained in a recent interview with Louis Theoroux: “… we can thrive in muddy waters, no matter what we’ve been through, we can use it to channel something beautiful.”  

Finally, after dedicating ‘Woman’ to “the girls dem“, Simz closes the set with the rousing energy of ‘Gorilla’ – with her perfectly intuitive, tongue-in-cheek lyrics accompanied by the full orchestra, this seems the perfect way to end the night; juxtaposing the searing raw power of Little Simz’s writing with the all-encompassing resplendent grandiosity of the instruments, contrasting elements all coming together as one in harmony.

Words: Mari Lane / @mari_getinherears
Photos: Pete Woodhead

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INTERVIEW: Moonchild Sanelly

Having released her incredible third album, Full Moon, at the beginning of this year, innovative South African artist Moonchild Sanelly has been making waves with her unique, empowering genre-defying creations and joyous live shows. Now, with collaborations with the likes of Self Esteem, Gorillaz and Little Simz under her belt, as well as wowing UK audiences at Glastonbury Festival and appearances on Later… With Jools Holland last year, she’s ready to take the world by storm with this latest trailblazing solo offering and her immense, fearless attitude. 

Ahead of a run of tour dates with Self Esteem in the autumn and an appearance at my most favourite festival, Deer Shed, this summer, I was lucky enough to chat to Moon just as she was getting her costumes together before jetting off to Dublin to headline the Grand Social earlier this week. Her styling and aesthetic are a big part of her performances and image as an artist, she tells me, as she explains that she designs and makes her own outfits – “Having the skill to see it, think it, sketch it, make it, advise on it, has been really useful. Having the power to just create my art… All these things contribute to me being a musician and independent artist.” Moon actually studied fashion before going on to become a songwriter, and she continues to put the skills she learned to use when going out on tour – “I know all the different shows I have coming up, and know all the different coloured costumes I want for the different days, and know all the different stage vibes that I want. It’s going to be a fun one!” And these skills can come in very handy when on the road, too, as she discovered on a recent trip to Germany when her sewing machine broke and one of her outfits was left unfinished – “I literally used safety pins to put it together. I come from doing stuff by hand when I didn’t have the money for the fastest machine, so I had to tap back into that and got my safety pins, and nobody knew – it was a great dress, I killed it! It’s something I do on the regular – I was able to save myself, even though my machine had broken.”

This notion of being able to ‘save herself’ seems incredibly important to Moon; whilst having always been supported in her love of music by her family, and particularly her brother who’s a producer, she prides herself on her independence and the power that comes with not having to rely on anyone else: “When you’re doing you, it’s just really effortless; no one can correct you or incorrect you. There’s no right formula. Not even your mum who fed you formula has a formula for you.” Discussing the sense of freedom that can come with being involved in all parts of the creative process, she tells me that she also likes not having a permanent full band, and decided very early on in her career that she did not want to have to rely on other people: “I didn’t want to depend on someone who wasn’t as hungry as me. I didn’t want them to slow me down.” So, she did it on her own, motivated by the liberation to just create whatever she wants, whenever she wants – “I don’t have to wait for anyone… I can literally just do it.”

Of course, this does not mean that Moon doesn’t value the creative input of other people. An example of someone she loves working with is Johan Hugo, the producer of Full Moon, who she had been determined to work with after being impressed by another of his artists at a festival in Europe that she was playing with Gorillaz. Her manager made contact, and – after discovering that Hugo had already wanted to work with Moon, had many mutual connections, and had previously worked with some of her favourite artists (M.I.A, Santigold) – the wheels were set in motion to work together: “We were meant for each other!”, Moon gushes. This feeling of things being ‘meant to be’ seems to be a key theme of the new album: “Full Moon symbolises a real full circle moment for how I have envisioned my art, and how it should be affecting the world. Everything just seems to have come together.” Working with Hugo, Moon was confident that he’d be able to sync the sound in the way that she wanted, to “connect the music with whatever the story is.” She goes on to describe how he was able to create a safe space for her to work, “away from the hustle and bustle”, so that she was really able to tap out and tune into her vulnerable side – “… it just allowed me to open up, without feeling naked or uncomfortable. I just let whatever emotions were evoked by the music come to life. I wasn’t scared of anything that was happening.” However, whilst Full Moon does offer “an insight into (my) sensitive side”, into the “roots” of Moonchild Sanelly, she is keen to emphasise that it still offers that liberating, empowering and danceable spirit that she has become known for: “I will never let it end in tears, because I will always liberate…”

Discussing the recording process, Moon tells me that there was no specific plan – “I just told stories and it was comfortable and I just let it happen… We didn’t have a manual, we just knew we wanted to make fire.” And I think this really shines through when listening to Full Moon; a real sense of freedom emanates throughout, an openness to being both vulnerable and powerful all at once. This stillness and contentment that Moon felt whilst recording the album differs from her experience with her last two records; recording her 2015 debut Rabulapha!, she was travelling around the world working with different people, whilst 2022’s Phases was recorded during lockdown, “…pretty much on my own, just being sent beats, and I hadn’t met half the people that were producing it.” So, she tells me, “…this one was different because I was with the one producer, making music together, and going with the feelings.” 

As well as the fantastic creative partnership she has with Hugo, Moon has enjoyed collaborating with many other artists over the years; with each different relationship unique in the way that they worked together. One of the people she’s worked with most recently is GIHE favourite Self Esteem: “I call my collaboration with Self Esteem like elite energy because it was so effortless. We were just having conversations, and then they were the song.” Going on to talk about their closeness and the cathartic nature of writing certain songs together, Moon elaborates: “We just have things in common – like being independent artists, and dealing with mother fuckers, and so that’s how ‘Big Man’ came to be.” Similarly, ‘Plain Sight’ (from Self Esteem’s recent album, A Complicated Woman) was inspired by negative press that Moon had been receiving that she did not feel able to write about: “So, when I was with Rebecca, I was able to write for her because we were going through the same thing but in different spaces and times, which was super emotional. We talked about all our shit, and then we cried.”

With other artists, however, the process has been very different. Whilst featuring on ‘My Power’ with legends like Beyoncé and Tierra Whack in 2019 merely involved sending over recordings of her music to someone she had not met, with artists like Little Simz “…it was just a really chilled vibe”. Having been something that Moon had always wanted to do, and having met Little Simz through her work with Gorillaz previously, finally getting to properly work together on a track (‘Flood’) was a dream come true. Whoever she’s working with, Moon tells me she has one goal – “… my approach is always to deliver”. She is determined to create her art freely, on her own terms, whether that’s solo or collaborating with others. 

This freedom of being able to create is something Moon feels passionately about, not just for herself but for others, and is something that can often be difficult for people living in South Africa. Reflecting on this and the way that things are gradually starting to change, she tells me that “social media’s definitely contributed to young people being able to share and create music without gatekeepers…” Young people being able to have more access to music without being attached to labels and managers enables a sense of freedom that has not always been possible, and this is something that Moon is grateful for: “You upload music, get lots of hits, are able to gig. That’s how it happens, and it’s beautiful to watch.” Although there’s still a long way to go, seeing more artists from South Africa being able to tour internationally, and with more opportunities being open to them, leaves Moon hopeful for the future. 

Touring internationally is thankfully something Moon has been able to do, and is going to be doing more of later this year, with appearances booked at various festivals including personal favourite Deer Shed in Yorkshire. She describes how she’s feeling about this with one word: “EXCITED!”. I share this excitement as I tentatively admit that I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing her live before and ask what fans can expect: “I KILL. We’re going to run out of body bags. The Freedom Demon shall be evoked.” You’ve been warned, Deer Shedders – prepare for a truly euphoric and empowering experience in which you’ll “own your body and your existence, and know who you are. You’ll just feel everything.” I can’t wait. Despite being excited about performing, however, Moon isn’t as much of a fan of the “whole hay and squatting thing” at UK festivals and tells me that her one requirement is “a flushing toilet, please and thank you.” I empathise with this sentiment and encourage Moon to book her camping in the lovely glamping of Tangerine Fields at the festival, where there are lovely flushing loos and even showers and hairdryers on offer. 

Moon is no stranger to UK festivals, however. Last year, she wowed crowds at Glastonbury with not one, not two, but ten live appearances there – “… it was the most shows we’ve ever done in one weekend”, she beams, “It was gorgeous. It was ridiculous. It was epic.” Not surprisingly, named as one of the highlights of the weekend, it seems like it stands out as a really special and memorable experience for Moon as she cheekily reflects: “We worked our butts off, and we shook them too!”

Being in the position to tour and perform to thousands of people is not something Moon takes for granted as she recognises the challenges that people from marginalised communities face in the industry, and the stigma that can so often be placed on certain groups – “Like, with femme presenting women who are queer, they think sex. And with butch presenting or more masculine people, they can’t be soft.” Discussing this further, Moon reflects on the evolution of Little Naz, how he was “palatable” for the homophobes, “…but then, when he came out, he lost a lot of followers, because you can’t be flamboyant”. This specific stigma surrounding gay men in music is something she has noticed is still not being commercially accepted, but “I feel like we, as women, have got more of an advantage, because we already know the formula of how to get the market.” However, Moon acknowledges that not everyone has her confidence – “I have a lot of famous friends that don’t want to share their sexuality… And this comes from a fear of rejection.” This fear is something that sadly seems to be prevalent amongst queer artists, and is absolutely justified considering the political climate at the moment; the hate speech, the way that the industry “seems open to abusers, to those violating other peoples’ rights, but not to homosexuality…” If we are to move forwards from marginalised communities being more than a “niche” and being more commercially accepted, Moon feels that representation is incredibly important: “With regards to my being queer. With regards to my being a successful black artist. With regards to whatever the world sees me as. I bring that magic. All the different faces that I represent. And I do it proudly and loudly. And fearlessly. Fuck fear.” Whilst others may have seen what Moon has achieved as impossible, she has succeeded and continues to move forwards with passion, determination and joy. “It takes people like us to shine the light”, she clarifies, and shine she does, as a beacon of what can be achieved. If aspiring artists were to be able to see more people like her, to see themselves represented, I feel this could really help to inspire, to motivate, and to reassure; to take away some of that fear that holds us back. I’m sure that when aspiring creatives see Moon being her truly authentic self up on stage, on TV, hear her on the radio, this will empower and ignite that spark in them.

As I thank Moon for her time, and for being such an inspiration and joyous presence in the industry, she assures me that she’s going to continue moving forwards and creating, innovating: “This shit is my life. I don’t want to be confined, I don’t want to be still. Every other job I’ve had, I’ve lost or quit. But now I’m in the right place.”


Huge thanks and love to Moonchild Sanelly for speaking with me. I cannot wait to be taken away in a body bag after the immense experience of seeing her live at Deer Shed festival in July! Tickets still available here.

Mari Lane
@mari_getinherears

Photo Credit: Grace Pickering

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INTERVIEW: Eilis Frawley

Having been big fans of all Berlin-based musician and songwriter Eilis Frawley does for a number of years now, we were excited to welcome the release of her debut album Fall Forward earlier this year. An eclectic collection of striking compositions focused on topics ranging from sexism and feelings of displacement, to personal reflections on self care and nostalgia, it showcases Frawley’s resonant lyricism and immense percussion skills, with a sparkling, empowering energy.

Following the album release, and ahead of Frawley’s UK tour which starts tonight at Brighton’s Rossi Bar and ends on Sunday 1st June here in London at Shacklewell Arms, we caught up with her about her inspirations behind the album, her thoughts on the music industry and her top tour tips. Have a read below, and make sure you catch her live over the next few days!

Hi Eilis! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Are you able to tell us a bit about what initially inspired you to start creating music? 
Hey Mari! It’s always a pleasure to connect with GIHE! I started playing violin at a very young age, and towards the end of high school I turned to percussion and got very involved with the music department; it was like a family for weirdos and I loved it, it was such a supportive place to practice and learn and develop musicality. I started out in classical music and was always drawn to the row of people standing at the back of the orchestra, often not doing so much, but when they played, it felt like those few people could change an entire mood in seconds – I was totally mesmerised. I didn’t start playing drum kit properly until I moved to South Korea after my university studies – there I met the most impressive absolutely no-bullshit female musicians, we formed a band and quickly I became obsessed with song writing, playing drum kit and creating original music. 

We love your beautifully striking, genre-defying sounds and the empowering energy that shines through in your unique songs and percussion-focused musicality, but who would you consider to be your main musical influences?
Aw, thank you! Someone who has stuck with me for a long time is Tune-Yards – I love the upbeat, very energetic chaos they create whilst diving into some heavy topics. Otherwise, I’m a big fan of Ghostpoet, and lately the Moor Mother/Sumac album, and also the Julien Baker/Torres album have been on regular repeat. 

I’ve been really enjoying listening to your recently released incredible and poignant new album, Fall Forward! The album reflects on themes ranging from misogyny and inequality, to personal feelings of grief and mental health struggles – are you able to tell us a bit more about this and what inspired your songwriting?
I wrote a lot of these lyrics during the pandemic; I’m originally from Australia (currently living in Berlin), and the borders were closed – for the first time in my life it wasn’t possible to go home, and this was very alienating. I spent a lot of time thinking about the past, and how I want the future to look. It’s personal, but I think the feeling of being misplaced is not uncommon to most people. Living in a big metropol it can be lonely, it can be exhausting, it can be misogynistic daily; these songs were a chance to build my own world to get some of these feelings out. 

You’ve described your sound as a “translation of my life into music” – can you explain this and tell us more about your songwriting and recording process? 
I write lyrics one sentence at a time, often in the notes on my phone whilst on the bus or train or having a coffee, then after some time I combine lyrics of similar themes and see where to go from there – it’s a collage of my experiences and thoughts. Musically, I often have an idea – maybe a drum beat or bass line that the song grows from – and maybe a rough idea of how I want the vocals to fit, and from there its trial and error, building different layers to support the vocals and vice versa. 

Having been involved in the industry for a number of years – both as an artist, and as a teacher and facilitator – how would you say your attitude towards creating music has changed? 
The one thing that’s remained the same throughout all these years is that there is never enough time to actually create music – for me it doesn’t just happen, time needs to really be carved out and dedicated to writing. The more I’ve gotten involved in the music scene, the more I think it sucks! I think as an artist you’re expected to do so much more now, create new music constantly – be a content creator, pay for PR, tour constantly, pay up front for your own records/merch, it’s rough. But I’m very much looking forward to spending a summer in Berlin, swimming in the mornings and writing songs in the afternoons – this feels like a reward to myself after the release of Fall Forward and three months of pretty much constant touring.  

We’re really excited to see your live show at The Shacklewell Arms on 1st June, with your new full band! What can we expect from the show, and what do you like most about performing live? 
I’m so happy to be taking this album to The UK, especially as I’ll be joined with my new live band – I think you’ll agree they are incredible! You can expect a slightly heavier version from the record, but still with these moments of sensitivity and pop throughout. Both my bandmates sing like angels, so thats a pretty fantastic new addition, and there will also be live projections. I really enjoy the moments the songs transform to a live version, moments where structures get stretched; where we are really playing together, giving the songs a new life. No night is the same, and that feels exiting. 

Is there a specific gig you’ve played over the years that stands out as a particular highlight for you? 
Ohhh, thats a hard question! The first one that comes to mind was in March we played in Giessen, a small Germany city. It wasn’t too crowded, maybe forty people, but every single person was really there for it – dancing, cheering – and we had some great after show chats. 

And, when you’re out on tour, are there any particular essentials that you take with you to keep you going? These are my Top three tour tips: I always pack lavender perfume pouches in my luggage so my clothes always smell like lavender, not tour bag. I try and run every second morning, to get some alone time and stretch out after sitting in a van so much. I pack a t-shirt to wear only on the very last day so I return home feeling fresh.

As we’re an organisation with a focus on supporting new and marginalised artists, I just wondered how you feel the industry is for them at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the years in its treatment of female and queer artists? 
Personally, I feel like we’ve taken a step back. I feel like in the DIY communities and collectives there’s a lot of space for Female* and LGBTQIA* artists, however as soon as there’s money involved, it feels like it’s still very much male dominated. I’m working in a venue and there’s still significantly more men on stage, as well as promoters and concert goers – I find it exhausting. As a queer female musician, however, I do think the interactions I have at gigs have improved – there’s a lot less comments like “Oh wow, you play the drums” than I received ten years ago. That’s some progress!

And are there any other artists that you’re enjoying listening to at the moment that you’d recommend that we check out? 
Two collaboration albums I’ve been loving are The Film by Sumac and Moor Mother and Send a Prayer My Way by Julien Baker & Torres. From Berlin check out Anti-Corpos, Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys, Plattenbau, 13YC, LawnChair, Matching Outfits, Crowbaby, Okra.

Finally, aside from the very exciting upcoming UK shows, what does the rest of 2025 have in store for you? 
We’re playing a few festivals over the summer, and then I’d like to spend the rest of the year writing new music. After almost three months of touring I’m excited to be home, cook my own food, sleep in my own bed and get some of these song ideas out of head and into reality.

Huge thanks to Eilis for answering our questions! Make sure you check out Fall Forward now, and catch Eilis Frawley live in a town near you this week – we’re excited to have her play at the Shacklewell Arms this Sunday 1st June, along with lo-fi faves all cats are beautiful. Free entry, but RSVP on Dice now to avoid disappointment!

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