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Discover the authentic and vibrant musical world of independent Australian queer singer Hallie with her debut EP “This Is Love,” a bold fusion of catchy melodies, inspiring lyrics, and exploration of life experiences.
Hallie Tait is an exciting and rising force in the indie-pop scene, and their positive energy radiates through every track. Their lyrics are clever and thought-provoking, exploring themes of queer love, gender identity, and emotional fluidity. It was back in 2019 when they won the Triple J Unearthed Bigsound Competition that propelled Hallie to the forefront of Australian music. Then, touring with popular artists like Spacey Jane, Mallrat, Stella Donnelly, and Didirri has been an excellent launchpad for their career - their single “Babysitter” even scored them a nomination for the 2021 Queensland Music Awards! With the wave of success that followed, Hallie was now ready to unveil their long-awaited debut EP: “This Is Love.”
Hallie has recently unveiled their long-awaited debut EP “This Is Love,” which features six tracks including the singles “Shift The Focus,” “Do It,” and “Love!" This emotionally charged EP draws from Hallie’s real-life experiences, identity, queer love, and gender. Immersed in an exploration of their polyamorous love feelings, the music carries an intoxicating romantic vibe that elicits uplifting and positive emotions in the listener. The melodies are catchy, while the lyrics are deep and inspiring. The full collection features a variety of genres ranging from pop rock, and indie rock, to indie pop. It highlights Hallie’s powerful singing throughout the project written and produced by Hallie and Oscar Sharah, with Abby Bella-May contributing to writing “Shift The Focus.”
Rather than being merely a reflection of Hallie’s journey, this EP is universal—inviting listeners to explore different aspects of love, whether happy or sad, joyful or painful. By creating an intimate connection between artist and listener alike, Hallie has crafted an EP that invites us all to experience the highs and lows of life in a truly beautiful way, an opportunity to connect with the different facets of love so we can reflect on what this feeling means to us personally.
Thus “Do It” is a song that dives deep into control and love. The melody is vibrant, captivating, and filled with energy. The lyrics provide an intimate look at Hallie’s vulnerability as she stands amid peril, breathing deeply for serenity through music. She invites us to take a risk and offers us the chance to open our hearts to love. The song reminds us that sometimes we must take risks to get what we need.
The second single “This Is Love” is titled “Love!” This memorable song is an ode to 2000s pop love songs, taking its roots from Gwen Stefani’s song “Cool.” Initially written about a beloved partner, it has since taken on a new meaning for platonic love between friends and Hallie’s past relationship.
Although Hallie’s “Love!” is about platonic love, her third single, “Shift the Focus,” signals a shift in perspective.
“Shift the Focus” was written by Hallie with contributions from her friends Oscar Sharah and Abby Bella-May - drawing influence from Holly Humberstone’s soft yet bittersweet pop style. This particular song conveys a melancholic but accepting feeling, along with a hint of hope for the future.
“Shift the Focus is about the end stages of a romantic relationship and realizing it can’t be forever but finding peace and acceptance in that,” Hallie explained in a press release. “At the time, my partner and I were nearing the end of our journey together, and we always knew it would end, especially being in our early 20s, and admitting we both felt that we didn’t know if we had much more to learn from each other. It was freeing being able to share that and destigmatize the end having to be a negative thing.”
She continued: “Instead, we could share the sadness and surrender to that moment, enjoying that we were still in love in the present and letting that be enough. I wrote ‘Shift the Focus’ with my friends Oscar Sharah and Abby Bella-May. I had just met them the night before, and as soon as I got into the studio, we got straight into a DnM.
“It felt like we were all at similar stages in our lives, which made this song form so naturally. I had discovered Holly Humberstone just before that and wanted to emulate the bittersweet pop feeling that Holly does so well. This was also the first song I worked on with Oscar and straight away I knew I wanted to work with him on the rest of the EP.”
“Labelless” is a poignant song that speaks to the power of queer identity and self-reflection. It encourages us to open ourselves up to new possibilities and perspectives, while also exploring our sexuality and identity.
“‘This Is Love’ is about my journey with love; falling out of love, dealing with heartbreak, and navigating queer love, polyamory, openness, and reframing relationships in a way that feels healthy and authentic to me. These songs were pinnacle parts of that journey for me, as I was working out what love looks like for me, away from all the social expectations and noise.
“Often I would go into writing these songs feeling confused and lost. ‘Labelless’ is the perfect ending to this EP because it shows how, through self-reflection, I can have a healthy connection to my queerness and openness. The process of writing ‘This is Love’ was also one of the most healing experiences creatively.
“I have never felt so in control and connected to my music. My journey with discovering my sound has meant learning to choose my authentic self over others’ opinions. I am my own biggest fan, to be honest, and I didn’t know I would ever be able to feel that. I hope that when people listen to ‘This is Love,’ they can experience the many facets of love and reflect on what love looks like for them."
Available for download and streaming on all music platforms like Spotify (open.spotify.com/album/3KmM9hVcU0maQOPvRKBbSw), “This Is Love” shows you the sensitivity and passion that makes Hallie’s work so incredible. Let yourself be taken away by Hallie's music! Click on the audio player below and listen to her enchanting tracks! You’ll explore a soundscape filled with timeless, spellbinding notes that sing forever!
With her debut EP “This Is Love,” independent queer artist Hallie took a big step into the music world. Her songs invite us to explore love's various aspects, be it joyful or painful, happy or sad. And what’s remarkable about Hallie is her ability to positively convey her feelings and personality through catchy melodies and inspiring lyrics. This makes for an unapologetic pop charm. Hallie’s queer identity is also a crucial part of her artistic work. Her songs provide a powerful voice for the LGBTQ+ community all over the world. With her unique sound, Hallie is sure to make waves in the indie music scene and beyond.
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