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Media release: The Merindas' debut album release date

Announcement posted by Jameson & Co 03 Jun 2020

We Sing Until Sunrise (Ngaangk Nookertiny Ngala Warangka) - drops this Friday, June 5. Contact the writer for your media copy.



As their third single, ‘I Feel It’ is sparking some radio love around the country, Melbourne-based, trailblazing electro R&B pop duo, The Merindas will release their debut album, ‘We Sing Until Sunrise (Ngaangk Nookertiny Ngala Warangka)’ this Friday, June 5.

Comprising eight tracks of pop gems – full of delicious harmonies, youthful electro vibes and meaningful lyrics, the album was initially intended for release in late April, at the end of The Merindas’ first national headline tour, which came to an abrupt halt due to COVID-19.

After a well-received at home performance last month as part of Isol-Aid Festival, there is strong desire to hear more from these Indigenous warrior queens, and the wait will soon be over.

The Merindas are the collective force of Candice Lorrae of Jawoyn and Thursday Island heritage (born in Darwin) and Ballardong Whadjuk and Nyoongar woman Kristel Kickett (from Tammin, Western Australia), bringing an on-trend style of rhythmic, expressive and beautiful music dedicated to their cultural heritage. They describe their unique sound as “electronic pop with a dancehall feel, alongside hip hop and R&B influences.”

With three singles under their belt (We Sing Until Sunrise, I Feel It and Before Daylight), their hotly anticipated debut album We Sing Until Sunrise (“‘Ngaangk Nookertiny Ngala Warangka’- which simply means that we are forever singing, forever dancing and forever celebrating our culture”). 

Says Candice Lorrae, ‘Our debut album release is more exciting and meaningful than ever! With all delays on the live circuit, it's a time to sit back and appreciate all the hard work and creativity poured into this album. It's been three years in the making, not even a pandemic can kill this vibe.’  

Says Kristel Kickett, ‘This album feels like a rewarding gift during this time. Even though our national tour and album release were postponed due to COVID-19, I'm so excited to share and give out some positive vibes to everyone through our music. We’ve waited so long for this moment, so I think it's a perfect time to release, despite what’s going down.’ 

Collectively, The Merindas emphasise that ‘there is no better time to be releasing music in such an historical year when the world needs it most. For us, this album is electrifying and the production is top notch! When listening to the album you can hear our voices singing out to the spirits and the depth in the music grounding us to the earth. Our sound empowers us and we hope that it does the same to everyone else. The Merindas’ messaging has always been about believing in yourself and never giving up, now is a perfect time to be sending this message.’
 

ABOUT THE MERINDAS
The Merindas began in 2012 when Candice assembled a vocal outfit to cover Motown-era classics at the Perth premiere of the hit film The Sapphires, chronicling an iconic '60s Indigenous Australian girl group. They savoured a standing ovation – and were booked for another (sold-out) show. The Motown Girls became The Merindas, meaning ‘beautiful woman’ in the Eora language (spoken in New South Wales). Candice formed the final incarnation of The Merindas with her soul sister Kristel, the pair meeting at Western Australia's renowned Abmusic College.The Merindas' Motown phase would be transitory. Perhaps inevitably, Candice and Kristel gravitated back to their high school love of pop, R&B and hip-hop, adorning themselves as glamourous slaying queens and immersing themselves in music from the likes of Spice Girls, Salt ‘N Pepa and TLC. Both singer/songwriters, The Merindas were determined to shape an original R&B/pop. They'd embrace modish electronic and club genres, too: future bass, dancehall and Afrobeat. As such, The Merindas developed a unique sonic aesthetic with soulful harmonies, energetic rhythms and something intangible. 

For their live shows, The Merindas are regally DIY – assuming full creative control of their music, costumes, styling and visuals. 

At the heart of The Merindas is their complex cultural identity as First Nations women. Kristel is a proud Ballardong Whadjuk and Nyoongar woman from Tammin in WA. Meanwhile, Candice, born in the Northern Territory, has Jawoyn and Thursday Islander (or Torres Strait Islander) heritage. She moved to Perth in childhood, being raised on Nyoongar country. 

The Merindas were inspired to sing in the Nyoongar language, telling traditional stories through music, following WA folk legend Gina Williams. The duo have already achieved much. They received an early Deadly Award nomination as 'Most Promising New Talent' on the basis of their live charisma alone. Then, in 2015, The Merindas won 'Indigenous WAM Song Of The Year' for their cult fave 'Ready To Love'. The next year, The Merindas officially launched with the stirring single 'We Sing Until Sunrise' – which they performed in Singapore at The Aussie BBQ as part of Music Matters Live, SLUMBERJACK headlining. The Merindas even featured on Downsyde's hip-hop opus ClassicILL. They showcased at 2018's BIGSOUND. And have been billed alongside everyone from Brandy to Jessica Mauboy to Mojo Juju to Craig David. The Merindas eventually relocated to Melbourne, the city offering new associations, opportunities and perspectives. Here, Candice and Kristel were soon exposed to fresh influences, prompting them to rework album material they'd cut back in their Perth home studio. Crucially, The Merindas were introduced to an exciting collaborator in New Zealand producer Frank Eliesa, keyboardist in the band Yoko-Zuna, at APRA AMCOS' inaugural First Nations SongHubs (curated by Briggs) and who impressed them with his ability to shape and blend their voices into perfect harmonies. In late 2019, They aired their second banger, 'Before Daylight', narrating a Nyoongar Dreaming story about the thwarted love between a man and a woman who transform into entwined trees – and accompanied by their first video.The Merindas hope to get back into touring as soon as possible, so that not only may they continue to share their music and grow their audiences, but they wish to continue to run workshops in Indigenous communities for girls, their creative leadership program encompassing fashion, modelling and dance. The Merindas are also members of Jimblah's First Sounds collective, advocating for greater Indigenous Australian representation in the music industry.


CONNECT WITH THE MERINDAS ONLINE:

Official website: www.themerindas.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TheMerindas/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themerindas/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/the-merindas
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/themerindas?lang=en
 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Erin Jameson – erin(at)jamesonandco(dot)com / 0419 323 663
 

WE SING UNTIL SUNRISE ALBUM SONG MEANINGS
 

We Sing Until Sunrise 

This track strongly reflects that we are forever singing, dancing and celebrating our culture. 



I Feel It 

I Feel It talks about the good spirit of the land and about allowing yourselves to feel joy. We feel this spirit when we connect ourselves with the earth, this spirit stirs inside all of us if we let it be free. Noongar words, ​Kwabba Wirran Boodjah waa​, translates to 'Good Spirit of the Land'. 


Splinter 

This song is about breaking free from a stand still position where we have constantly been fighting with ourselves about standards. This is about building the courage to lift our roots and discover the world and our potential. The visual being, a lone tree in the middle of the desert that has been standing for such a long time, unrecognised. The purpose of the song is to remind us that it is 'just the beginning to something big' - no matter how far you are in life there is always room to grow and discover new things about yourself. It’s a song about moving forward. 


Drumfire 

Drumfire is a reminder for people to stand up for what they believe in. We all have a fire burning inside when we feel empowered by each other. Our most powerful leaders carried unbelievable courage and never gave up the fight against injustices. This song is a tribute to our ancestors, elders and First Nations people that bring communities together and continue the fight for land rights, justice and continue practices of our rich culture. Noongar words Ngang Karla Noonook Karla ​translates to ‘my fire your fire’. 


Wait For Me 

This is more of a fun track for us. When you see someone in a club you’re attracted to and you keep an eye on them all night and not having the courage to make a move before it’s too late and they have already left the room … then you spend the rest of the evening looking for them. Make a move quickly. Don’t wait for love. 


Before Daylight 

It's about a man and woman who were forbidden to be together. The Lyrics 'Before Daylight, give me one last kiss goodbye' describes the couple’s last moments embraced in each other’s arms. Their love was so strong it grew in harmony with the land through two trees. These trees grew side by side with their branches touching, symbolising their last kiss. 


Do You See Me 

This is about our stolen generations reconnecting with family. It’s about that significant moment when two people re-connect and they recognise similar features. Same eyes, same hands, same smile. It’s also open to being about strong connections people have with one another. 


Young Love Was To Blame 

Being young in a toxic relationship that leads to abuse and early pregnancy. Being so young, you’re blind to this and it’s basically about looking back to say ‘Young Love Was To Blame’. We talk about looking after our young people. 




Album credits (We Sing Until Sunrise  - The Merindas)

We Sing Until Sunrise 
Written by and Vocals by: Candice Lorrae and Kristel Kickett Chorus into Noongar Translated by: Kylie Bracknell Produced by: Dazastah
Vocals Recorded by: Candice Lorrae 
Bass Guitar: Roy Martinez
Mixed by: Rob Agostini (Soundbaker Studios) Re-mastered by: David Walker (Stepford Audio Mastering) 

I Feel It 
Written by and Vocals by: Candice Lorrae and Kristel Kickett Chorus into Noongar Translated by: Denice Kickett Co-Produced by: Candice Lorrae and Jake Steele
Music and Vocals Produced by: Frank Keys 
Vocals Recorded by: Fraser Montgomery (Aviary Studios) Bass Guitar: Roy Martinez
Mixed by: Tony Espie (TuffTonesMusic)
Mastered by: David Walker (Stepford Audio Mastering) 

Splinter 
Written by and Vocals by: Candice Lorrae and Kristel Kickett Music and Vocals Produced by: Frank Keys
Vocals Recorded by: Fraser Montgomery (Aviary Studios) Mixed by: Tony Espie (TuffTonesMusic)
Mastered by: David Walker (Stepford Audio Mastering) 

Drumfire 
Written by and Vocals by: Candice Lorrae and Kristel Kickett Co- Produced by: Dazastah
Music and Vocals Produced by: Frank Keys
Vocals Recorded by: Aldie Nusa Putra
Mixed by: Tony Espie (TuffTonesMusic)
Mastered by: David Walker (Stepford Audio Mastering) 

Wait For Me 
Written by and Vocals by: Candice Lorrae and Kristel Kickett Music and Vocals Produced by: Frank Keys
Vocals Recorded by: Fraser Montgomery (Aviary Studios) Mixed by: Tony Espie (TuffTonesMusic)
Mastered by: David Walker (Stepford Audio Mastering) 

Before Daylight 
Written by and Vocals by: Candice Lorrae and Kristel Kickett Music and Vocals Produced by: Frank Keys
Vocals Recorded by: Fraser Montgomery (Aviary Studios) Mixed by: Tony Espie (TuffTonesMusic)
Mastered by: David Walker (Stepford Audio Mastering) 

Do You See Me 
Written by and Vocals by: Candice Lorrae and Kristel Kickett Co- Produced by: Dazastah
Music and Vocals Produced by: Frank Keys
Vocals Recorded by: Fraser Montgomery (Aviary Studios) Mixed by: Tony Espie (TuffTonesMusic)
Mastered by: David Walker (Stepford Audio Mastering) 

Young Love Was To Blame 
Written by and Vocals by: Candice Lorrae and Kristel Kickett Music and Vocals Produced by: Frank Keys
Vocals Recorded by: Fraser Montgomery (Aviary Studios) Mixed by: Tony Espie (TuffTonesMusic)
Mastered by: David Walker (Stepford Audio Mastering)