Indy Yelich is back.
The US-based, New Zealand-born alt-pop artist has today shared her new single, “East Coast”, which delves into the emotional turbulence caused by a toxic yet passionate relationship. As Indy explains, it’s a highly personal release for the singer-songwriter.
“I wrote East Coast after a toxic on-and-off relationship finally came to an end,” she says. “I had been traveling back and forth from NY to LA every couple of weeks, and it was taking a toll on me.
“Arguments over the phone, codependency across two coasts, and I just had this moment where I was driving along the PCH [Pacific Coast Highway] with friends and I was getting all these long text messages, and I just felt like throwing my phone out the window.”
Indy doesn’t shy away from the power dynamics of the fraught relationship, adding, “I was in my early twenties, but he wanted me to be such a grownup, and I just wanted to be free and to create music that I love.”
Based in New York City for several years, “East Coast” is somewhat of a misnomer, because Indy is heading in the opposite direction for her music.
“While I have such a strong sense of identity in New York, I’m sacrificing that peace to go to California consistently to pursue a career,” she reveals. “’East Coast’ is an ode to saying goodbye to something that no longer serves you.”
If you recognise Indy’s second name, that’s because she’s the sister of Lorde, but the “Green Light” star’s sibling has been forging her own path through pop music over the past few years.
Indy released her debut EP, Threads, in early 2023, and the record received a positive review in our March issue from that year.
“Nepotism has been discussed a lot recently, and historically musicians have struggled with the thorny issue more than their acting equivalents. It’s lucky, then, that Indy Yelich, Lorde’s little sister, amply proves her alternative-pop prowess on her debut EP,” we praised.
“While there are certainly some minimalistic sonic touches that recall her famous sibling, this collection of songs shows enough individual promise to indicate that Indy has a strong career ahead of her.”
You can listen to Indy’s new single below. Read our 2023 interview with the artist here.
Indy Yelich’s “East Coast” is out now.
