Gold Coast artist st.James is set to release her latest single, ‘Aquarius’, on Friday, 8th July. We’re premiering it on Music Feeds. ‘Aquarius’ features something of a stylistic shift for st.James, introducing a more immersive sound than what can be found on previous singles ‘Liar’ and ‘Reckless Life’, which were released over the last few months.
Having been based in Melbourne for six years, st.James is currently based on the Gold Coast. The artist recently had a stint in Byron Bay during the filming of the Netflix series, Byron Baes. Against the backdrop of constant travel, she’s managed to carve out a burgeoning music career, focusing on an alt-pop sound with hip-hop and electronic undertones.
st.James – ‘Aquarius’
Working alongside producers Luke Palmer and Matt Bartlem, ‘Aquarius’ started out a long way from where it ended up. However, the song’s meaning and message hasn’t changed much from the first demo. Against the elegant production, st.James offers up a rather intimate take on the notion of self-realisation in the modern world.
“‘Aquarius’ is about shining the light on what was once hidden in shadows,” she explains. “It’s personal and also written from a collective point of view. The awakening of our minds and deciding to forge our own beliefs from information presented to us, rather than consuming mindlessly and regurgitating old, tired belief systems.”
Having grown up listening to David Bowie and Bob Dylan, st.James’ music is rooted in the present, but heavily inspired by the sounds of the past. While previous singles featured a more modern take, ‘Aquarius’ is an example of what’s to come from this rising artist.
“I listened to a lot of The Beatles when I was writing this; Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” she explains. “I think I also subconsciously got the intensity of the vocals from listening to Halsey’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power album as well. But I wanted it to feel futuristic, with a little hint of some vintage energy.”
