Songs You Should Know: Romanie

Belgium-born, Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Romanie has released her new LP It’s Not That Funny via Community Music, alongside the official music video for focus track 'Falling', directed by Romanie and Young Ha Kim

Romanie's 2023 debut Are We There Yet? offered a candid depiction of displacement, muddled up with the feeling that you're running out of time, establishing Romanie as a compelling new voice in the alternative/indie space. It’s Not That Funny builds on her signature emotional honesty, expanding her sound through collaborations with Hamish Mitchell (Armlock), Tom Stell (Golden Features) and Adam Hyde (Keli Holiday / Peking Duk). A body of work she jokes could be shared with your therapist, the record sees Romanie leaning further into personal storytelling, exploring themes of trauma, healing and growth, while moving between two contrasting sonic worlds: chaos vs. calm, anguish vs. optimism.

Adrienne Lenker - my angel 

Adrienne will probably be my forever number one songwriter of our generation. The way she describes life in this precious way, drawing upon nature images and intricate details of life to describe painful and beautiful moments of life. I’m very lucky that a fair few songs on this album were written during her School of Song workshop and this album has definitely been on high rotation at my house in the past few years.

Cat Power - Nude As the News

Cat Power is a huge inspiration for me as an artist; the way she can balance this sadness and triumph and female power in her music, and be super vulnerable at the same time. 

Wet Leg - pokemon

Wet Leg can do no wrong - they’re the perfect band, people and musicians. They don’t take themselves all too seriously and keep putting out seriously good songs. Excellence.

Way Dynamic - I Was The Dancer

This whole album has been on heavy rotation since its release; it’s the perfect soundtrack for driving down to the beach for a surf. 10/10.

Waxahatchee - Crowbar

Katie has such a distinct voice and has a way of expressing herself with such interesting lyrics. She also just seems like such a nice person and lives and breathes community.

1010benja - High

I actually don’t know too much about this artist but this song came up on YouTube a few years ago and I haven’t stopped listening since. It’s got the same energy as hearing a Dijon song for the first time; you just keep wanting more. There was a month last year where I didn’t listen to anything other than this song, I would just keep playing it on repeat. I might be hooked again after selecting it for this mixtape, scrap all the other songs.

Viagra Boys - Worms

Viagra Boys are one of my favourite bands. I keep saying that if I ever get to do a Like A Version, Worms will be my song. I just love the cleverness of all their songs (lyrics, melody, energy) and they’re one of the best live bands to be around. Viagra Boys moshpits until we die.

Ruby Gill - The Flood

Ruby is a very special songwriter. The way she can draw people into her music and address important topics with just a single sentence is like magic. Forever under the Ruby Gill fan-spell.

Freak Slug - Spells

This song is just so cool. I want to be friends with Freak Slug, this song always hypes me up whenever I hear it.

Dry Cleaning - Kwenchy Kups

Dry Cleaning is special; the combination of the spoken word, hard hitting yet funny lyrics and immaculate guitar is my favourite kind of music.

Floodlights - Tricky

Floodlights must be one of the best bands to come out of Melbourne. Seeing this live at Meredith a few years ago is just a sign of how lucky we are to live in a place where so many great musicians are sprouting.

Arthur Russell - Planted A Thought

Sam Evian got me onto Arthur Russell, I was very late to the party but oh boy, have I arrived to the party. I love how versatile Arthur Russell was and would like for my career to span over such a wide catalogue too.

Camille Schmidt - Stanley

I think discovering this singer songwriter has been one of my favourite things over the past few years. Her debut album is just all bangers, no skips. 

The The - This Is the Day

This is what I would like to be the soundtrack of my biopic if I ever have one. I just love how this song makes me feel.