STEVIE JEAN CHANNELS A LITTLE CHAOS AND DESTRUCTION IN VIDEO FOR "MENACE" + ANNOUNCES MELBOURNE HEADLINE ALBUM LAUNCH SHOW
Photo Credit: Jett Street
"brimming with an infectious attitude" - Declan Byrne (Home and Hosed, triple j)
Recently relocating to Melbourne from her hometown of Darwin NT, Stevie Jean today channels all her unbridled, angsty, and creatively expressive energy for the music video of lead single "Menace" off her debut album ‘The Dark’ (slated for release May 14th).
Taking the helm as the star and first-time video producer (along with collaborator Jacob Hazeldine), the "Menace" music video sees Stevie literally and figuratively let down her hair, get a tattoo, party with friends, and embrace the expressive freedom of being unapologetically young, loud and fearless.
Shedding herself of preconceptions with a little healthy chaos and destruction, and effectively grabbing her own life and music by the teeth, "Menace" is an edgy, frenetic, explosive force to be reckoned with. Squealing guitar riffs paired with a thunderous drum beat, and Stevie’s growling verses and vibrant high notes building into repetitive chants of "we do what we wanna do" at the song’s crescendo make "Menace" a multi-faceted but undoubtedly huge statement from the 21 year old.
Recorded in live takes at Darwin institution Studio G and mixed with the raw power of the original vocal stem, Stevie takes cues from classic rock icons such as Suzie Quatro and Joan Jett - capturing a three-minute burst of fierce rebellious energy in musical form, and a taste of what to expect from her upcoming debut album.
"The original concept for the "Menace" visuals was kinda violent. I loved it. But with the current political climate it was deemed inappropriate and Jacob and I were back to the drawing board. It was an incredibly tight turn around and I thank Jacob Hazeldine for the unorthodox hours he spent in my kitchen brainstorming with me. In the end it came down to which artists we wanted to work with and showcase from our home town.
On a personal note, this is my debut as a co-producer in a film capacity. I am incredibly proud to have true artists around me. As a visual artist myself, collaborating and commissioning works is one of my greatest sources of joy. We find in creative freedom the essence of expression, unabridged."
- Stevie Jean
Stevie Jean has also announced a headline 'The Dark' live album launch show in her new hometown of Melbourne, for Thursday May 13th. Tickets will be available one the door.
Stevie Jean 'The Dark' Live album launch show:
Thurs May 13th - The Leadbeater Hotel, Melbourne VIC
$5 Entry on the door - Event Link.
Due for release on May 14th, ‘The Dark’ will be Stevie Jean’s debut full length album release, and an opportunity to explore a series of themes over a longer format than ever before.
Described by Stevie as "a concept", the album delves into her adolescent ideas and experiences written from the age of 17 to 21 through the lens of fairy tales and pop culture:
"I was always scared of the dark as a kid. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it too. Adolescence brought with it the darkness that Johnny Cash sang about. Those feelings that have been broken into so many individual parts.
Anxiety, depression, the blues, melancholy, bittersweetness, low self esteem, rage, pity, lust, gluttony, envy. So many shattered pieces of glass emotions that can be pulled apart and made clinical to examine and explain.
Personally, I’m someone who feels deeply on an extreme scale.
I just call it "The Dark." - Stevie Jean
Stevie Jean has previously released her own EP ‘Blame Game’ in 2019, as well as collaboration EP ‘Evenings’ with Tasman Keith later that same year. ‘The Dark’ will be her first full length album release.