With every release, Perth-born, now Sydney-based singer-songwriter St. South reveals an innate ability to connect deeply with listeners through their evocative and honest music. Her latest project, the deeply personal EP 'BIG SADS', continues this tradition, showcasing her lo-fi indie-pop sound enriched with raw emotion and poignant lyrics. Set to be released on September 20th, the EP includes previously released singles 'Better Days' and 'Didn’t Need You', alongside the newly unveiled title track.
Following the success of her 2020 debut album 'Get Well Soon', St. South found herself at a significant personal crossroads. The passing of her father in September 2020 left her devastated, nearly paralysing her creativity. Writing, once a solace, became overwhelming amidst her grief. “'BIG SADS' is about a lot of things, but mostly it’s about feeling some big feelings. Love, grief, depression, anxiety, heartache, and heart-healing,” St. South explains.
After a six-month hiatus, she returned to her home studio, transforming her sorrow into a delicately produced collection of alt-indie-pop tracks. 'BIG SADS' delves into the infinite shades of loss, love, grief, and survival, ultimately offering a sense of hope. “When my dad died the world was still in lockdown, and I had this hopeful thought that I would spend the next year at my piano, processing the grief in a productive way. When in reality, grief turned into depression, leaving me feeling stuck and incapable of even basic self-care.”
The title track 'BIG SADS' was the final piece she wrote for the EP. “I was sitting at my piano one afternoon, feeling pretty defeated, and I was like, ‘I'm so sick of trying’. Then I just sang the line: ‘I've been feeling big sads.’ And I thought, ‘You know what, maybe I just need to write about that,’” St. South recalls. This track encapsulates her journey through grief, longing for simpler times, and ultimately finding solace.
Returning with her first new music in four years, St. South’s 'BIG SADS' is both a celebration of life and a reflection on grief. Though creating the EP felt like pushing a boulder up a hill, St. South now stands at the summit, looking out over a beautifully cathartic landscape.
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Photo Credit: Suzanna Gaunt
