Whilst the UK and the USA primarily dominate the English language music scene, Australia has given us its share of highly successful artists over the last 30 years or so. Apart from Kylie, who dominates the world of pop, there have been other major mainstream artists like INXS, Savage Garden, Troye Sivan and Sia.
So, allow us to introduce you to Blusher – an Australian trio made up of Miranda Ward, Jade Ingvarson-Favretto and Lauren Coutts, who all had solo music careers before forming the band in 2021. Miranda is a classically trained musician and guitarist, Jade began performing in an ABBA tribute act with her parents before launching her solo career, and Lauren is a producer and multi-instrumentalist and played a key part in the band’s formation.
They aimed to create energetic pop music to let your hair down to, and this desire became more significant during the pandemic. Since launching at Australia’s leading artist showcase, BIGSOUND in 2022, Blusher’s vibrant approach when playing live (each member takes turns singing and swapping instruments) has garnered lots of praise from critics and fans alike, not least from an A & R from Atlantic Records who had flew from LA to Brisbane for less than 24 hours to potentially sign them.
Thankfully, the show was received with pure adulation, and so it came to be that in 2023, Blusher signed to a major record company and released their debut EP “Should We Go Dance?” 2024 marked a breakout year for the band: their first sold-out headline shows in London and Australia, a set opening for Kylie Minogue at BST Hyde Park, a performance in Leicester Square for London Pride, and a full US, UK and European tour as main support to Daði Freyr. They’ve also previously toured with Sugababes, Tove Lo and Aurora in Australia.
They also released no less than five singles in the same year – “Somebody New”, “Overglow”, “24 Hours in Paris”, “Accelerator” and “Rave Angel”. Can 2025 be as fruitful? Well, their follow-up EP “Racer” continues the glitter-soaked high-energy feel of its predecessor and will certainly appeal to fans of pure pop. There have already been three singles released from it, “Racer”, “WHATEVERWHATEVER” and “Last Man Standing” – all absolute belters.
“Racer” is the first track on the EP and is packed with pulsating electronic beats and sparkling synths, and certainly ticks the box for “hugely danceable”. Of the track, the band states: “Being a Racer means being your own stunt person, the main character of your own life, being the person to start the dance floor while the rest of the party is worrying about what people think.”
“Don’t Look At Me That Way” has a more melancholy vibe, weaving together the sounds of fresh synth pop with dreamy nostalgia and is reminiscent of Robyn’s classic “Dancing On My Own” whilst current single “Last Man Standing” feels like a celebration – it is so uplifting and upbeat with an euphoric, Europop chorus that you will be humming for days afterwards. “Marathon” is cute with Oriental undertones, delicate vocals and is another synth-soaked ode to the support of sisterhood: “Stay up for the marathon/barefoot on the way home/catch your breath now that he’s gone/ sitting on the pavement/ I know you get low/save your tears for the dancefloor/I’ll be there to walk you home/ When you’re feeling like, when you’re feeling like that.”
Pulsating and carefree, “WHATEVERWHATEVER” is simply a song about not getting that deep and just letting go. Gorgeous vocals that hit impressive high key notes soar into an exhilarating chorus that feels like an anthem: “So what if it’s now or never/So what if it’s not forever/Watch me fall apart, pull myself back together/ Maybe it’s the end of the world but whatever” and final track “Running To You” is a bittersweet song about someone you begrudgingly love and can’t let go of: “I’m starting to think that you’re made of gold/ My Retriever”. Dreamy synth keys harmonise with ethereal vocals that are almost Celtic. Halfway through, the song transforms into irresistible rave pop with feverish, thick bass lines and distorted cries of “All Night” right up to the very end.
“Racer” is an impressive follow-up to their 2023 debut and cements Blusher as one of pop’s exciting new forces – they have proved on “Racer” that they can deliver massive pop tunes. The lyrics may not be the most introspective, but they don’t have to be with music that is as high-energy and euphoric as this. Simply put, “Racer” will make you feel less sad and less stressed after listening to it, and we all need a bit of that sometimes.
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