South London’s Mysie shares her vibrant and illuminating new single ‘PHASES’ today, the newest instalment from her debut mixtape CONTROLLA which will be released on 27th September via ONErpm.
Tapping into the sound of the genre blurring sounds of the naughties yet bringing it bang up to date and stamping it with her own personality ‘Phases’ is an excellent “city girls” anthem. Riven with hop-skipping beats and illuminating keyboards, vibrant vocal playfulness juxtaposes snatches of empowering melody that celebrates taking control and letting go of someone messing you around, with the urgent and addictive bars from featured guest £MONZO.
On ‘PHASES’, which features up-coming SW London rapper £MONZO, Mysie commented: “PHASES is the ultimate city girls anthem. It’s about standing your ground and letting go of those hot and cold situationships. I reached out to South London’s finest, £MONZO, after discovering her PGG Freestyle and knew she would absolutely finesse this.”
Expertly balancing a sense of nostalgia with an endlessly forward-facing soundscape, ‘CONTROLLA’ is Mysie’s most genre-defying and innovative work to date, defined by an unapologetically dance-oriented essence. “I want people to pre-drink to this. I want them to party to this. And I want them to put it on whenever they want to feel uplifted or empowered” states Mysie of the full-length.
Two years in the making, the new mixtape hears Mysie straying from the intimate, indie soul that’s previously imbued her music. Recent cuts such as ‘PLAY’ and ‘CTRL’ set the scene, with last month’s ‘LITTLE TOO LATE’ reigniting the buzz around the Ivor Novello Award-winning artist who has never confined herself to one genre: always pushing her boundaries – always experimenting.
Here across ‘CONTROLLA’, the sounds that defined her upbringing in London, a city home to endless subcultures and musical movements, meld in the same way contrasting genres collide on the capital’s dance floors. The eclecticism of the city’s music scenes has long been integral to Mysie’s music, but it’s never been more prominent than in this project. She points to House, Electronic, UK Garage and Pop as core inspirations but also credits the American music that leaked from her earphones on the tube growing up.
A gallant return to the spirited energy of her adolescence also coincides with a departure from themes of yearning, romance and desire that have infiltrated her previous work. While 2021’s ‘Undertones’ documented a relationship in its earliest, feverish stages and ‘Joyride’ it’s tragic demise, ‘CONTROLLA’ doesn’t dwell on love – instead, it hears Mysie headstrong, unbothered and in charge.
It also sees Mysie in full control as a co-producer and her presence leads each moment – each note, chord change, and collaborator has been meticulously selected by her. The process, she says, is a welcomed contrast to her prior experiences in the industry, which often left her feeling hollow. She has generated – with special thanks to her Dad’s waistline – over 13 million views on TikTok since the release of her last project.
More new music from ‘CONTROLLA’ will be shared over the summer, also Mysie will be supporting IAMDDB across Europe for some very special live dates later in the year.
TOUR DATES
SEPTEMBER
20th: Heaven – London *
OCTOBER
3rd: Caberet Sauvage – Paris *
4th: L’Élysée Montmartre – Paris *
8th: Tolhuistuin – Amsterdam *
23rd: B.Leza – Lisbon *
* (Supporting IAMDDB)
Photo Credit: Gesualdo Lanza
