Almost eight months on from the release of her breathtakingly-cinematic debut single “Summer in August”, New Zealand musician Isla Noon has returned with a majestic follow-up, sharing the infectious “Talk About Us” earlier this month.
A music fan from a young age, Isla Noon credits a rather colourful mix of influences for the arrival of “Talk About Us”. Armed with a love of ’60s/’70s folk songwriters thanks to her dad, a fondness for pop and disco of the ’70s and ’80s that comes from her mum, and a kinship with modern artists such as Robyn, Troye Sivan, and MUNA, “Talk About Us” is a powerhouse of indie-pop songwriting, equal parts bouncy and jubilant, while remaining smart and snappy at the same time.
“On the surface, ‘Talk About Us’ is about trying to reach someone in your life who has become closed off,” explains Isla. “It’s confronting, almost melodramatic.
“The song leans into the self-consciousness of that situation, the bargaining, the unraveling, the white-knuckled holding-on-so-tight that sees the other person slipping through your fingers. It can be a fuzzy place emotionally, and if you’re not careful, you can lose yourself in that place too.
“I wrote about it as something I and some close friends around me have experienced at different times in life, not only because it’s such a confronting state to be in but also because it’s kind of beautiful in its vulnerability,” she concludes.
Meanwhile, “Talk About Us” also comes accompanied by an intimate video clip which shows an honest and reflective side of who Isla Noon is as an artist. Directed, produced, and edited by Mareea Vegas, the clip sees Isla playing with light and energy as she sings alone, allowing the camera to get as close as the listener as she bares her soul through song.
“The song has a melodramatic quality with a raw centre underneath, so we kept it intimate with mostly tight framing, and played on these elements with lighting and my two ‘looks’ in the video,” Isla explains.
“I had a strong vision in terms of styling and was super fortunate to style myself in an absolute piece of art that is the ‘David Bowie Blouse’ by NZ designer Trelise Cooper, as well as a whole lot of gold glitter thanks to makeup artist Shania Hales.”
While the name Isla Noon might be one that’s only fresh in the mind of many music fans, with a track as powerful and slick as “Talk About Us”, it’s clear that it won’t be long before she’s front and centre in hearts, minds, and playlists around the world.
Isla Noon’s “Talk About Us” is out now via Bigpop Records.
