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Following three years of meticulously refining her craft, Naarm/Melbourne alt-pop artist Indigo King is ready – unveiling her striking new single ‘Wednesday’. A confessional meditation on grief, longing, and the quiet acceptance of love lost, ‘Wednesday’ marks the beginning of a new chapter for this young and exciting artist.
1. After spending three years refining your craft, what made ‘Wednesday’ feel like the right song to introduce this new chapter of your career?
I’d been exploring lots of different sounds and styles over the last few years and when I wrote ‘Wednesday’, something felt different. It felt grounded and authentic and that was exciting. It was a song that exposed my vulnerabilities, but also reminded me I had moved through a difficult period and come out the other side Intact. As the writing and recording process evolved, It felt natural for Wednesday to be the first release.
2. ‘Wednesday’ explores grief, longing, and acceptance — was there a particular moment or experience that sparked the song?
I had a pretty dramatic breakup about a year and a half ago which launched me into writing a lot during that period and Wednesday was one of the first songs that I wrote about it. I was definitely grieving and longing for that relationship when I was writing Wednesday and for a long period afterwards, but through the production process, the tone of Wednesday gradually shifted from the initial heartache and loss to a much lighter and more hopeful tone which seemed to mirror the acceptance I had around those experiences, in real life too.
3. You mention that even something as simple as a day of the week can bring memories flooding back. Why did “Wednesday” become such a powerful symbol for you?
‘Wednesday’ is a reference to the routines we all have in relationships and how jarringly empty the structure of your life can feel when they come to an end. Your days and weeks are just suddenly different and it is a very real adjustment for your heart and brain to navigate. Sometimes it takes a while for your body to catch up.
4. Your music feels very intimate and emotionally exposed. Do you ever struggle with sharing such personal experiences publicly?
While it does feel scary sometimes to sing rather openly about very personal experiences, I struggle much more singing lyrics that aren’t truthful or don’t feel real to me. I think the anxiety that can come from feeling a bit exposed emotionally is worth the satisfaction of singing something I believe in my gut. I only really notice that anxiety when the subject matter of the song I am singing is in the room with me anyway!
5. You’ve described songwriting as cathartic. Has creating this song changed the way you process relationships and heartbreak?
Songwriting is incredibly cathartic and I am so grateful to have it as an outlet. It really does force me to be honest with myself and flesh out my feelings in a way that I otherwise wouldn’t. I find myself consistently wanting to write when I am emotionally vulnerable and I always feel better for it afterwards. It feels less direct than journaling or going to therapy. It’s more playful and less goal orientated and allows me to just make some sounds and figure some shit out.
6. The production on ‘Wednesday’ feels both restrained and expansive at the same time. How did you approach building the sonic atmosphere of the track?
Wednesday started off as really spacious production wise – we recorded just vocals and piano and had some textural candy here and there but not much at all at the beginning. I envisioned it staying that way and being a sparse ballad with minimal layers but through the production process it found its natural shape and tone over time and had a largeness we really leant into. We recorded the vocals and piano together which was an unusual process for me because I tend to layer vocals on top of an instrumental foundation. I think this made it a more intimate performance. The darker guitar layers and vocal hook on the choruses came later and once they were uncovered, ‘Wednesday’ was really born. It felt like we had discovered a new sound and that felt really exciting.
7. The music video moves between the salt lake in south-west Victoria and the coastline of Torquay. What drew you to those landscapes visually and emotionally?
There’s quite a few water and beach references in ‘Wednesday’ so I had always envisioned including the ocean within the visuals somehow. The director Claire Giuffre showed me the Salt Lake in South-West Victoria and we both agreed that the stillness of the lake would be a beautiful and strong contrast to the crashing and roaring waves of the beach and would tie into the song’s meaning perfectly. I was also born and lived for a few years in a remote beachside town in WA very close to spectacular pink salt lakes. I feel a bit of affinity to that landscape.
8. You conceived the video yourself alongside director Claire Giuffre. What was the creative collaboration between the two of you like?
Working with Claire was such a dream as she is incredibly professional, creative and has such a calm presence and encouraging manner. It was my first music video and marked a brand-new chapter for me and she was super considerate of all of this the whole time. She definitely had a way of making me feel excited and comfortable throughout the whole process. I had a few visual ideas but she really brought them to life and it was a very special experience to do that together.
9. If ‘Wednesday’ is the beginning of a new era for Indigo King, what can listeners expect from you next?
More music, more exploration of sound and visuals and more shows. I don’t want to pigeon hole myself into one musical category too much but I think if listeners enjoy Wednesday, they will enjoy what’s to come.
10. What has the audience response to ‘Wednesday’ been like so far, and have any reactions surprised or impacted you personally?
I am really grateful for the reception so far on Wednesday. It has been an incredibly special experience sharing music and I have enjoyed the connections I have made so far through releasing this first single. My favourite comment has been from a very close friend of mine saying I had a ‘Lil Nas X’ Twang in my voice on the vocal hook – this was definitely an unexpected reference but I loved it.
11. What’s up next for you and what are you looking forward to the most?
I am recording music with Hudson Grant regularly and continuing to water that creative relationship. I plan on releasing more music throughout this year and playing more shows. I am enjoying being slow and thoughtful with what I am releasing and staying present through the process. It is exciting and I am ready for more.
