INTERVIEW: Heather from Pale Waves talks Butter Pies, Mexico, and new album Unwanted
Last Saturday held the 2023 edition of Super Fun Day festival, a one-day stint allowing Brisbanites to experience a melting pot of both music and comedy. For its second year in the running, Super Fun Day was able to boast some international artists in the mix, including the UK four-piece Pale Waves.
Hot off the release of their highly anticipated third album Unwanted, the pop-turned-punk outfit have headed down under to share their infectiously grungy riffs and memorable lyrics to their Australian fanbase. We caught up with lead singer and guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie to talk about life, self-love and the new album!
E: First off, how are you going? How's Australia been?
H: Yeah fine, not too jet lagged, I held a koala bear yesterday.
E: Was that at Lone Pine?
H: Yeah! It was such a cool experience. They were a lot heavier than I anticipated. And I fed some kangaroos. I’m just doing all the typical Australian stuff. I’m enjoying my time here but the heat is, like, intense.
E: It really is. Have you tried any cool food or gone out to the (Fortitude) Valley or Brisbane while you’ve been here?
H: Yeah I tried…. What’s that thing? It’s not Marmite.
E: Oh, vegemite?
H: Vegemite! Very interesting.
E: I feel like people either love it or hate it.
H: I feel like I’m in between, I can’t decide. I want to like it, maybe it’s just a grower. It’s so salty! I even tried it with margarine and it was still very very salty. It was interesting. That (experience of trying Vegemite) was with another fellow Australian and she loves it! But yeah, that was an experience.
E: Do you have a favourite food from back home?
H: Ummm, I love a good butter pie.
E: Butter pie? What’s that?
H: It’s like just a pie with potatoes and butter in it. It’s just sooo good and you can get them up north in England.
E: Ahhh, kind of like a Shepherd's pie but the potatoes are just inside the pie.
H: Yeah! Exactly. It’s my go-to when I’m at home.
E: So when’s the last time you’ve been in Australia? Has it been before Covid?
H: I think we came here back in 2018 maybe? We played 2 shows and then we went to New Zealand, but we were just so jetlagged that time. I remember feeling like I was actually sick, like I was dying because I felt that rough.
E: Yeah, and then you have to go and play a show in front of all these people.
H: It takes so much to play a show as well that I remember, like, I’m the one who cares about the fashion and the outfits, and we nearly slept through the show. Our tour manager had to come and get us and was like “You’re going on the stage in like 20 minutes! Get up!” and so I just zipped up my hoodie and went out like that.
E: Oh no!
H: I know. And I was like “I’m so sorry but I just woke up.”
E: This is what you’re getting guys!
H: Yeah, literally.
E: So Unwanted has been out since August last year. How has the receival of that been?
H: Amazing! Yeah, I feel like people have really taken well to that album. I feel like it's connected well with everyone and I think people really enjoy hearing us explore more of that alternative scene/style, and it's just super fun to play.
E: It kind of sounds like an extension of the second album; a little bit more into the punk sound.
H: Yeah definitely. The first album was very 80s and kinda dreamy, and then the second album was kinda 90s with a lot of acoustics; and then the third album we just went more alternative. Maybe that’s because we wanted to have a lot of fun live as well and those kinds of songs allow us to. For example, Jealousy is a lot of fun live
E: Jealousy is definitely one of my favourite songs off of the new album. The Hard Way is another favorite and it’s such a sad one! How do you find it writing the more emotional, vulnerable songs? Is it a hard songwriting process?
H: I feel like it is yes. It’s obviously harder the more vulnerable the subject matter is, and you also want to get it right so I feel like it takes a lot more time as well because you’re considering so many different factors, but, you know, it's so rewarding at the end when you’re standing on stage and people are like “this has saved me”.
E: Do you see many people crying in the crowd or many embraces happening?
H: Oh yeah, all the time. Especially to She’s my Religion. I feel that’s just like the typical “gay anthem”.
E: Yeah, which is much needed. In a time like now we need representation.
H: Oh, definitely.
E: I’ve noticed as well that the new album kind of has that early 2000s punk, like, Avril Lavigne kind of sound. Was she an inspiration? Or was that just a coincidence?
H: No, I love Avril Lavigne. I grew up listening to her; wanting to be her. She was kind of like when I was growing up I was very much a tomboy. I wasn’t a typical girl; I didn’t want to dress up in pink skirts and play with dolls, and she was the first woman I saw that wasn’t the kind of, like… typical woman. You know, she was wearing baggy jeans.
E: Yeah, she kind of played around with self expression and gender norms.
H: Yeah! She wasn’t trying to be anything or anyone else. She was just genuinely herself. I really connected with that.
E: Heck yea.
*Heather compliments my cowboy boot necklace while I nervously try and think of more things to say; a mix of being starstruck and overheated*
E: Do you find that fans vary internationally compared to back home. Is there a certain country where people are just crazy for Pale Waves?
H: Mexico is one. I remember feeling like I was in One Direction or something. I was like “Wow, you guys, you can calm down, it's okay.”
E: I love seeing all the band pages that are like “Come to Brazil!” or something like that
H: Oh yeah, we always get the “Come to Brazil” ones. And we want to go! We’ve gotta make it work. But yeah, I remember Mexico in particular was just wild.
E: Was that like a festival?
H: Yeah, that was Corona Capital.
E: Ahh yeah!
H: Yeah it was a really fun festival, but that was also really really hot as well, and I was wearing velvet pants, it felt terrible. I don’t know what I was thinking!
E: Oh man, and you guys very much have quite a dark, sometimes all-black style as well.
H: That’s the thing about me. I don’t like colour. You can appreciate that too? *speaks to Courtney are photographer*
C: *laughs* Yep, yep.
E: It’s been a long time. You guys have been around since 2014 which is crazy. I remember listening to you guys in highschool and it's insane to be here with you now.
H: Ugh, that makes me feel old. *laughs*
C: It’s a double-edged sword, isn’t it *all laughing*
E: I’m sorry! *laughs* But yeah, if you could go back to the beginning of it all and tell yourself what you know now, what advice would you give yourself?
H: Hmmm. I’d probably say… don’t be as harsh on yourself. I feel like, especially when you go into a band and now you’re suddenly in front of so many people and you feel like everyone’s watchIng you it’s hard not to over-analyze and criticize yourself, and you look in the mirror and be like “Oh, I don’t want anyone to see that”. It’s like just relax; No one’s even really thinking that much about you, like just enjoy it rather than think about that.
E: Yeah, just experiencing that self acceptance, and not worrying about how people perceive you.
H: Exactly.
E: Well thanks so much for your time today, I can’t wait to see you guys perform at 5, and enjoy the rest of Australia!
H: Thank you!
Catch Pale Waves at their Perth, Melbourne or Sydney shows this week!