Photo Gallery: Yorke takes us behind-the-scenes of recording her new single, Gravity

30 July 2020 | 8:00 pm | Hayden Davies
Originally Appeared In

The Byron Bay musician's captivating new single was worked on alongside some of music's most notoriously brilliant musicians..

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We've always been in Yorke's corner, and yet the blossoming of her - both musically and personally - over the last twelve months has still taken us by surprise. Her debut EP Liberosis back in March showcased how the musician has grown and evolved in such a small amount of time, introducing herself as a talented, multi-faceted musician capable of a wide-ranging variety of sounds, from shimmering and subtle indie-pop to moments a little more grand and maximalist, displaying how she's able to take any sound that comes across her, grapple it, and make it her own.

Today, however, this gets taken to the next level. Gravity, her first release since the Liberosis EP, is a pop moment that's sure to define Yorke's place in the homegrown pop music world, capturing the musician at her most bold and powerful as she swerves into this commanding sound that'll leave your neck sore with whiplash, yet beginning for more. Even comparative to the more joyful moments on LiberosisGravity reigns supreme. It's an extension of her sound, one that opens her up to a whole new set of future pathways, and one that proves she's one of the most exciting songwriters we have.

"[Since releasing Liberosis] I’ve gained more confidence, know exactly what I like and don’t like, and I’ve challenged myself to push my (creative) boundaries," Yorke says on the single, and you can hear that in the core of Gravity's movements. She feels like a brand new, reborn pop star when the single hits its most climactic moments, a nod to how far she's come and the lessons and learnings that have helped her further not just herself musically, but personally too.

It makes sense learning that the single is a melting pool of collaborators both new and old, ones that are furthering Yorke's sound and pushing her in new directions. Gravity features an all-star cast behind the scenes: ex-Death Cab for Cutie band member Chris Walla (!!), Scandinavian super-producer Hank Solo, and Japanese Wallpaper, who as we've learnt time and time again over the years, knows how to make Australian pop musicians shine like no-one else can.

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It's a brilliant moment that really welcomes a new era for Yorke, so take a dive into the single below, alongside a bit of a behind-the-scenes look into the single's creation, taking us into the room in which the song was created:

Memorable moments behind Yorke's new single, Gravity: 

The song came together really quickly… except for the chorus. The rest of the song was pretty much written within an hour but Gab (Japanese Wallpaper) and I kept challenging ourselves to write a better chorus and I honestly thought we might not make it. This was felt most deeply when I was trying really hard to focus and Gab kept singing Delta Goodrem songs to me to try and distract me. I could’ve screamed.

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The whole time I’ve known Gab, he’s kept telling me about this amazing vego dumpling restaurant down the road from his studio. He’d been talking about how excited he was to finally go there with me for lunch and when we got there, we found out they had run out of dumplings. Seeing his sad dumpling-less face was definitely a memorable moment for me.

Memorable moment number three would be getting to FINALLY play a cowbell in one of my songs. It’s safe to say that I think it’s my true calling. Award for most enthusiastic cowbell player goes to me.

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Recording the vocals “walk right back now” for the bridge was hilarious. Gab and I were shouting as loud as we could in the hallway, the kitchen and from every corner of the room. I was sceptical at first, but it sounded so cool when we put it all together. It’s now my favourite part of the song.

Sitting back on a beanbag and listening to Gravity for the final time in the session was a really special moment for me. I felt a huge sense of elation. I’m super proud of this track.

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