ILUKA's genre and style-defying musical presence – with fans noting the pop sensibility of Adele, the growl of Joplin and the lyrical alchemy of Stevie Nicks – shines through on the new single.
'Cry Evil!' was making waves even before release. . . After ILUKA shared snippets of it online, it immediately went viral. It hit five million views across TikTok and Instagram, as fans clamoured for the full version to be released.
Sonically, the impact is immediately felt: a speaker-rattling, foot-stomping beat accompanied by ILUKA's straight-to-the-point lyricism: 'Girl, gonna make a good wife someday / pleasure him quiet, take his last name / give him three kids in a white picket fence / hide those tears behind a plump lip red'.
'Cry Evil!' is a fierce, bold reclamation of female autonomy, at an apt time in history.
We speak to ILUKA as the 'Cry Evil!' video rolls out to the world.
First of all – snippets of this track went viral ahead of its release. How did this initial reception feel?
Incredibly exciting and just an affirmation that I was on the right track as people were connecting to the song.
The track is now out into the world. How does it feel when you create something that only you and a small group of people know about. . . And release it into the world for literally everyone to hear?!
It feels strange to be honest. You put so much work and love into this thing and then just throw it out into the abyss and see how people respond to it. I’ve learnt to let go of expectations around a song's release and just be okay with it not belonging to you anymore. You do all you can to create this beautiful thing and then it’s enough to just put it out into the world. Whatever happens to it out there is not up to me. . . I’ve found my peace with that.
This song has a pretty important, powerful message. Talk a bit about what inspired you.
I wanted to write a song that embodied the feeling of female rage. I think it’s such a powerful catalyst for expression, for catharsis and hopefully for change. The song came about at a time when a woman’s right to her own body is so under threat (particularly if this upcoming election goes a certain way) and men’s violence against women is as rife as ever both in Australia and where I’m based now in the US.
When you’re putting a song together with this kind of messaging. . . What sorts of things are you looking for sonically (be it vocal effects, chord progression, instrumentation) that could help you deliver this message effectively?
The chord structure and sonic elements of the song are definitely darker and moodier to really lean into that feeling of rage. My vocal is the centrepiece because the lyrics are so integral to the song and were designed to feel raw and forthright.
What do you want people to take away from the track?
I want people to be able to feel that rage, to express it in some way and not have to contain it.
It’s the second song from your upcoming ’Haunted One’ EP which comes out in October. What sorts of themes are you exploring lyrically on the EP?
I’m exploring a lot of themes around what it means to grow up as a girl in today's world, and the journey of coming back to yourself after so much ‘good girl’ conditioning from society. I delve into a lot of ideas around reclaiming your true self. That is, the self that has boundaries and stands up for herself and is her biggest, most unapologetic version of herself.
Talk a bit about the creative process – what have been some of the challenges and rewards in putting this new body of work together?
The challenge is always deciding which songs will make it onto the EP. I write a lot of songs and there’s always heaps of songs to choose from. This time around, the EP / mini album follows a very clear thread sonically so I had to leave out some of my favourite songs just because I knew they didn’t fit with this particular body of work. It’s incredibly rewarding though to have a body of work that feels very cohesive and aligned.
You’re based in Los Angeles now! How has your time been over there so far?
It’s been all the things! The biggest challenge (and also inspiration) has been realising just how many incredibly talented artists are out here in LA. There are lots of amazing artists in Australia but it’s such a small industry in comparison to the US. I feel like I’ve had to do some deep soul-searching and digging to figure out exactly why I’m here and what the most authentic version of myself is, as an artist and a human. It’s so inspiring because everyone’s just out here making their dreams happen but that can also be intimidating coming from a small pond. I think I’ve grown so much and my new music is a testament to that.
'Cry Evil!' is out now. ILUKA's 'Haunted One' EP is released 4 October.
