Tag Archives: Australia

Album Preview: Yours Truly – “Self Care” Due Out September 18th

Yours Truly are poised to have the greatest breakout of 2020 with their debut record, “Self Care” due out September 18th on UFND.

With the average age of 21, lead vocalist Mikaila Delgado, guitarists Teddie Winder-Haron and Lachlan Cronin, and drummer Bradley Cronan, thrust themselves into unraveling the biggest year of their career, from incessant touring, mounting imposter syndrome, and more to write the best debut album we could have imagined from the Sydney, Australia natives.

Titling the record, “Self Care,” the band are wearing their hearts on their sleeves using the record as a vital antidote to the whirlwind they lived in for so long.

Right off the bat, “Siamese Souls” grips you with a pedal to the metal intensity we haven’t seen in a long time and it’s exactly the kind of urgency that propels this record forward.

Early releases, “Composure” and “Together” spun well deserved noise around the new record as “Vivid Dream” paints the reality that Yours Truly were living in. Not being home for more than two weeks at a time takes a toll on you. “Vivid Dream” might be our favorite track on the record, complete with an acoustic drop that comes back in and hits you square in the chest with everything this record brings to the table.

Mikaila recalls how her long distance relationship broke down, how each member could barely hold down a job, and the fear of time and distance of touring would suck away her reality of home. Guitarist Teddie Winder-Haron adds that having just graduated high school, “While all of our friends started going to uni and getting ‘proper’ jobs, I could see I was going off in the complete opposite direction to everyone else.” That feeling of out of touch with his world back home eventually sparked the inspiration to write the record.

Yours Truly tapped producer Stevie Knight (Stand Atlantic and Between You & Me) and together they harnessed the collective power of the pop punk and turned it into an anthemic rock album that will cement the band’s rightful place in the scene.

Tracks like “Ghost” and “Funeral Home” display the clever, cathartic effort that lays any ideas that Yours Truly may not belong in the game, if not for anyone else, but the band themselves.

“Undersize” is a tender, heart on her sleeve track Mikaila wrote for a friend of hers trying to navigate the various obstacles in life, “I wrote this just to let them know that I’m here for them through all of that.”

“Half Of Me” and “HeartSleeve” are two super vulnerable tracks, letting light shine into the darkest parts of the band’s past year. The latter closes the record and stitches together a positive, uplifting blanket saying “you will be ok, take time out and be kind to yourself.”

The album cover art, designed by Sydney-based artist and photographer Georgia Maloney, further propels sentiment behind the title, “Self Care,” a crocheted human heart intertwining with the body while flowers grow from the veins. Mikaila recalls feeling only thinly stitched together at times and explains the style reflects feelings of holding the broken pieces together and intends to ignite a sense of comfort.

“We really learnt and lived a lot in one year, writing these songs allowed me to understand myself on a whole new level throughout it all,” she closes. “The experience was a true form of self-care that ended with me feeling stronger, smarter, enlightened and positive after a rollercoaster of emotions. For me, this album was my version of soaking in vanilla candles and that comforting taste of chocolate and red wine under blankets. We hope it brings solace to whoever listens to it and can relate too.”

Watch the official video for “Funeral Home” below!

Pre-orders are still available for Yours Truly’s debut album “Self Care” on UNFD’s official site or pre-save the record on your favorite streaming platform.

Be sure to follow Yours Truly and Secret Fangirls on Twitter for the latest on your new favorite artists.

Show Review: The Faim Electrify NYC

Australia is on a hot streak with exports and their latest, The Faim, are bringing their brand of pop rock with a side of on stage charisma that could fill an arena.  We caught them at the Gramercy Theatre on their tour opening for Andy Black, which wraps up this week in Virginia Beach.

Armed with an arsenal of new music and enough energy to power Manhattan, The Faim are here and they will not be ignored.  Frontman Josh Raven commanded the stage with swagger and poise, drawing the crowd in from the start, even walking off the stage and connecting directly with the crowd in the middle of the pit.

TF NYC (62 of 115)
@mac_praed

The Faim, singer Josh, guitarist Sam Tye, bassist/keyboardist Stephen Beerkens, and drummer Linden Marissen felt more like the headliner than an opener but we bet they’ll be in that headliner slot sooner rather than later.

They will be back in Australia and Europe over the Summer.  Check out all of their upcoming tour dates here!   We’re hoping to see them back in the States soon!

TF NYC (86 of 115)
@mac_praed

The Faim set list – NYC Gramercy Theatre – May 1st, 2019
Saints of the Sinners
My Heart Needs To Breathe
Beautiful Drama
When It Comes
Infamous
Midland Line
Fire
A Million Stars
I Can Feel You
Make Believe
Summer Is A Curse
Amelie

TF NYC (84 of 115)
@mac_praed

Grab a copy of The Faim’s EP “Summer Is A Curse” on iTunes and Amazon, or stream it on Spotify!

Follow The Faim and Secret Fangirls on Twitter for the latest on your favorite artists.

Photos by @Mac_Praed

The Faim Announce “Summer Is A Curse EP” Due Out Sept 7th

Australia is really kicking it up a notch with their music exports lately and The Faim are ready to take the world by storm.  After working with massive names like Josh Dun of Twenty One Pilots, Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, snagging co-writes with Ashton Irwin of 5SOS (“Summer Is A Curse”) and Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy (“Saints Of The Sinners”), The Faim tapped legendary producer John Feldmann for their debut “Summer Is A Curse EP” due out September 7th.

The Faim aren’t letting anything stand in their way and have already racked up an impressive 3.5 million global streams on Spotify on their last single, “Summer Is A Curse.”  The band just unveiled their newest  pop friendly single called “A Million Stars” and displays frontman Josh Raven’s powerhouse vocals.

When asked about the new EP, the band said “To say we’re excited about releasing this EP is an understatement. More than just songs, to us these six tracks are a window into our world. We’ve been overwhelmed by the support of the community around us and welcome you all on this beautiful journey. We’re proud to be able to share our music with you and hope you enjoy listening as much as we’ve enjoyed writing it.”

Listen to “A Million Stars” below on Spotify!

The “Summer Is As Curse EP” will serve as a prelude to The Faim’s hotly anticipated debut album expected in 2019 and will include five brand new tracks that show off their stadium ready sound, impressive songwriting chops, as well as their pop-punk energy and infectious hooks.

The Faim are currently on tour in Europe through October. Check out the tour dates below and grab your tickets now!

The Faim Fall 2018 Tour Dates
Sept 15th – Academy – Dublin, Ireland – Buy Tickets 
Sept 17th – SWX – Bristol, UK – Buy Tickets 
Sept 18th – Engine Rooms – Southampton, UK – Buy Tickets 
Sept 19th – The Waterfront – Norwich, UK – Buy Tickets
Sept 21st – O2 Institute – Birmingham, UK – Buy Tickets 
Sept 22nd – Leeds University Stylus – Leeds, UK – Buy Tickets
Sept 23rd – O2 Ritz Manchester – Manchester, UK – Buy Tickets
Sept 27th – Riverside Newcastle – Newcastle, UK – Buy Tickets 
Sept 29th – O2 Forum Kentish Town – London, UK – Buy Tickets 
Oct 2nd – Trix Club – Antwerp, Belgium – Buy Tickets
Oct 3rd – Melkweg OZ – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Buy Tickets
Oct 5th – Die Kantine – Koln, Germany – Buy Tickets 
Oct 11th – Yoyo – Paris, France – Buy Tickets 

Be sure to grab a copy of the smash single “Summer Is A Curse” on iTunes and Amazon and don’t forget to pre-save the brand new EP on Spotify  so you can be among the first to have all 6 tracks instantly!

Follow The Faim and Secret Fangirls on Twitter for the latest on your new favorite artists.

 

The Faim Release New Single “Summer Is A Curse”

Just in time for Summer, Australia’s latest export, The Faim, dropped a brand new track called “Summer Is A Curse.”  Co-written by Ashton Irwin from 5SOS, the new track is a sweeping emotional hit. When asked about the new song, “‘Summer Is a Curse’ is about taking the leap into a make or break situation that could grow into the beginning of a new era, or cause the end of what could’ve been. It’s about the paths that we take, the dreams that we have, and the things we leave behind to reach them.”

This is just the beginning for The Faim.  They’ve teamed up with Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus, Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy, TwentyOne Pilots’ Josh Dun, as well as legendary producer John Feldmann for their highly anticipated album!

The Faim just announced a string of tour dates with PVRIS in Australia in addition to dates with PVMNTS and The Dangerous Summer.  Check out the tour dates below and grab your tickets HERE before they sell out!

THE FAIM 2018 Tour Dates 
May 21st – The Dome – London, UK – Buy Tickets 
May 22nd – Key Club – Leeds, UK – Buy Tickets
May 23rd – Night People – Manchester, UK – Buy Tickets
May 24th – Clwb Ifor Bach – Cardiff, UK – Buy Tickets
May 25th – Stereo – Glasgow, UK – Buy Tickets
May 26th – Slam Dunk Festival North – Leeds, UK – Buy Tickets
May 27th – Slam Dunk Festival South – Hatfield, UK – Buy Tickets 
May 28th – Slam Dunk Festival Midlands – Birmingham, UK – Buy Tickets 
May 31st – The Anvil – Bournemouth, UK – SOLD OUT
June 2nd – Camden Rocks Festival – London, UK – Buy Tickets 
June 9th – Download Festival – Leicestershire, UK – Buy Tickets
June 13th – The Gov – Adelaide, AUS – Buy Tickets 
June 15th – Metro Theatre – Sydney, AUS – Buy Tickets 
June 16th – Triffid – Brisbane, AUS – Buy Tickets 
June 17th – 170 Russel – Melbourne, AUS – Buy Tickets
Aug 24th – Reading Festival – Reading, UK – Buy Tickets
Aug 25th – Leeds Festival – Leeds, UK – Buy Tickets

Listen to “Summer Is A Curse” below!

Grab a copy on iTunes or Amazon so you can sing along on tour!

Be sure to follow The Faim and Secret Fangirls on Twitter for the latest on all of your new favorite artists.

5SOS Release New Single “Want You Back” & Announce Tour

Our Aussie boys have been teasing us for the past week they finally spilled the beans!  5SOS just dropped a brand new song called “Want You Back,” making this their first song in almost two years.  Since they’ve been gone, Ashton, Calum, Luke, and Michael took some time to regroup and figure out what life is outside of being on tour.  It did them well because this song is UUHH–MAAZIINGG!!!!   We can’t wait for everything they’ve got in store for 2018 and where the year will take them.

Listen to the new track below on Spotify!



5SOS also announced a surprise tour for Spring hitting cities across Europe and North America! Check out the dates below and grab your tickets when they go on sale March 3rd at 10AM local time.

“5SOS3” Spring 2018 Tour
March 20th – Debaser Strand – Stockholm – Buy Tickets 
March 23rd – Trix – Antwerp – Buy Tickets 
March 24th – Gloria – Cologne – Buy Tickets 
March 26th – Melkweg – Amsterdam – Buy Tickets 
March 29th – Fabrique – Milan – Buy Tickets 
April 4th – Yoyo – Paris – Buy Tickets 
April 5th – Heaven – London – Buy Tickets
April 8th – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA – Buy Tickets
April 9th – Theatre of The Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA – Buy Tickets
April 10th – The Fillmore – Silver Spring, MD – Buy Tickets 
April 12th – Irving Plaza – New York, NY – Buy Tickets 
April 13th – Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON – Buy Tickets 
April 15th – Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN – Buy Tickets 
April 16th – House Of Blues – Chicago, IL – Buy Tickets 
April 18th – Cannery Ballroom – Nashville, TN – Buy Tickets 
April 19th – House Of Blues – Dallas, TX – Buy Tickets 
April 21st – House Of Blues – Houston, TX – Buy Tickets 
April 23rd – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ – Buy Tickets
April 25th – The Belasco Theater – Los Angeles, CA – Buy Tickets 
April 26th – House Of Blues – San Diego, CA – Buy Tickets 
April 27th – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – Buy Tickets

Grab a copy of “Want You Back” on iTunes now!

Be sure to follow 5SOS and Secret Fangirls on Twitter.

SecretFangirls.com Interview Drawing North

Australia is showing the world that they’re more than just beautiful beaches filled with cute surfer dudes, kangaroos around every corner. The continent is home to talented artists like 5SOS, Keith Urban, and Flume.  Drawing North are the latest musical export to come to the United States from Australia.  Po, Drew and Jake blend fun new wave electronica sounds with an indie band’s work ethic.

Drawing North got their start writing pop demos in a garage, and quickly built a fanbase in their hometown of Canberra, Australia. They sold out their first ever headlining show and have toured  across the continent, playing festivals like Vans Warped Tour Australia and Australia Celebrates live.  Joel Madden of Good Charlotte showed his love for the band, and we can’t think of a better endorsement!

The band is ready to take the US by storm!   Drawing North are about to release their brand new EP that has a new sound for the band with the same heartfelt lyrics fans have come to love from Drew, Po, and Jake.   We got to sit down with the guys recently to chat about who they would fangirl over, their must haves on tour (dogs!), and their new single “Stay” that comes out on April 5th.  Watch our interview and get to know your new favorite Aussie band!

Sign up here for the Drawing North newsletter and you will receive  “Stay” for free, in your inbox  before it gets released on April 5th!

Be sure to follow Drawing North and Secret Fangirls on Twitter for the latest on your new favorite artists.

Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

This Week’s Tournaments:
ASB Classic – Auckland, New Zealand
Apia International Sydney – Sydney, Australia

Last Week’s Winners:
Brisbane International – Grigor Dimitrov
Qatar ExxonMobil Open – Novak Djokovic
Aircel Chennai Open – Roberto Bautista Agut
Hopman Cup – France (Richard Gasquet & Kiki Mladenovic)

Grigor Dimitrov Wins First Title Since 2014
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 3 years since Grigor Dimitrov won his last title, at Queen’s Club in 2014.  That same year he reached the top 10 for the first time, and made it to the semi-finals a at Wimbledon.  It’s been a tough couple of years for Grigor, who has been working hard to get back in top form.  He started 2017 in commanding fashion, taking out 3 top 10 players (Dominic Thiem, Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori) on his way to the Brisbane title.  He also took one of the cutest and most excited trophy winning photos of all time.  More of this in 2017, please!

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Dominic Thiem Hits The Beach

One of the hardest working men in tennis, Dominic Thiem, hit the “beach” in Sydney ahead of the tournament there this week.   Our dream job would be planning and supervising these ATP player field trips during tournaments.  Where can we sign up?   (Also someone please take Grigor back to a zoo while he’s in Australia so we get more of this)

James Blake Wins 2016 Powershares Season Finale in Brooklyn
Professional tennis made it’s return to Brooklyn for the first time since  1935 on a snowy Saturday night at the Barclays Center.   James Blake won the Powershares QQQ Cup, the last event on the 2016 Champions Tour.  James defeated Andy Roddick in the first semi-final, breaking Andy in the final game of the set.   (Andy’s serve is still on point in case you were wondering).  John McEnroe beat Jim Courier 6-3, before losing to James in the final.   The final set was an entertaining battle of the New Yorkers, with an energetic crowd cheering on both players.

Taylor Fritz Expecting First Child
Tennis Channel just casually mentioned that Taylor Fritz is expecting his first child any day now!   Fritz wed his longtime girlfriend Raquel Pedraza over the Summer.   Congrats Taylor and Raquel!

Tennis Tuesday: ATP News of the Week

It was an unpredictable week on the ATP World Tour, with unseeded players taking home trophies in Delray Beach, Marseille and Rio.  We were especially thrilled to see American Sam Querrey take home his 8th career title.  Here’s our tennis news of the week.

This Week’s Tournaments:
Acapulco, Mexico
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Sao Paulo, Brazil

Nick Kyrgios Wins 1st Title in Marseille
It’s nice to see everyone talking about Kyrgios for his stellar on-court performance, rather than his antics.  Kyrgios was impressive in taking out Richard Gasquet, Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic in route to his first ATP World Tour Title.  The win put Kyrgios, 20, among the youngest first time title winners in tour history.

NickKyrgiosTitleMarseille

World Team Tennis Back in NYC
We literally screamed out loud when we read that World Team Tennis is coming back to NYC this year, with Andy Roddick leading the newly formed New York Empire team!  Home matches will be played at Forest Hills Stadium at the West Side Tennis Club in Queens (AKA the original site of the US Open.)   It doesn’t get much cooler than that.  Needless to say we can’t wait for the season to kickoff in July!

NYEmpire_WTT

USA Davis Cup Team Announced
The US Davis Cup team is heading back to Australia March 4-6 for first round World Group play.  We’re just glad they’re not playing against last year’s champions Great Britain (again!).  This time around the squad is John Isner, Jack Sock, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan squaring off against Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic, Sam Groth and John Peers.  While we will obviously be cheering for #MERICA, we’re also looking forward to Lleyton Hewitt’s first tie as Davis Cup captain!

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World Tennis Day Coming March 8th
We are just a couple weeks away from the annual World Tennis Day on March 8th, with special events happening all over the world.   In New York you can celebrate at the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden.  This year the exhibition will feature Serena Williams vs Caroline Wozniacki and Gael Monfils vs Stan Wawrinka.   Tickets are on sale now!

bnp--paribas-showdown2016

The Griswolds To Embark On The “Excellent Adventure Tour”

Aussie rockers The Griswolds have announced a string of dates in the US called “The Excellent Adventure Tour!”  Urban Cone are set to open the tour which kicks off in Boston on June 16th.  Check out all of the tour dates below!

The Griswolds “Excellent Adventure Tour”  ft. Urban Cone

June 16th – Brighten Music Hall – Boston, MA – Buy Tickets
June 17th – Milkboy – Philadelphia, PA – Buy Tickets
June 18th – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY – Buy Tickets
June 19th – U Street Music Hall – Washington, DC – Buy Tickets
June 20th – Firefly Festival – Dover, DE – Buy Tickets
June 23rd – The Garrison – Toronto, ON – Buy Tickets
June 25th – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL – Buy Tickets
June 26th – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN – Buy Tickets
June 30th – The Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA – Buy Tickets
July 1st – The Independent – San Francisco, CA – Buy Tickets

The Griswolds are also currently opening for Walk The Moon on the “Talking Is Hard Tour” across America right now! Many dates are sold out already.

Watch the official video for “Beware The Dog” now.

Be sure to follow The Griswolds, Walk The Moon, Urban Cone, & Secret Fangirls on Twitter!

The Vamps Announce Australian Tour with AJR

The Vamps just announced a huge Australian tour next January and they’re bringing NYC indie pop band AJR with them!  The Vamps are fresh off their first headlining UK arena tour, and the band just won three BBC Radio1 Teen Awards – Best British Breakthrough, Best British Group, and Best British Single.

Tickets are on sale now, and we suggest getting them ASAP.  The Vamps just sold out the massive O2 Arena in London,  and AJR’s “I’m Ready” has gone Platinum in Australia.  This is a lineup you don’t want to miss!  Check out all of the tour dates below.

The Vamps & AJR Australian Tour Dates 
Jan 23rd – Hordern Pavilion – Sydney – Buy Tickets
Jan 24th – Festival Hall – Melbourne – Buy Tickets
Jan 26th – Riverstage – Brisbane – Buy Tickets
Jan 28th – Entertainment Centre Theatre – Adelaide – Buy Tickets
Jan 30th – HBF Stadium – Perth – Buy Tickets

Watch The Vamps official video for their latest single, “Hurricane,” below.

Be sure to follow The Vamps, AJR & Secret Fangirls for more updates!