Austra

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Austra, the pop project of Canadian Katie Stelmanis, presents the new album Chin Up Buttercup, distributed in Spain by Music As Usual.

Katie Stelmanis, a classically trained musician and opera devotee with four previous albums and a Canadian Screen Award, spent years singing dramatic arias about tragedy without having personally experienced such devastation. In early 2020, a breakup brought that experience to the forefront. Stelmanis recalls, “I was completely shocked. The person I loved woke up one day, told me they were not happy and basically, I never saw them again.” The album’s title reflects the societal pressure to maintain composure’, even in the face of heartbreak.

Stelmanis and co-producer Kieran Adams drew inspiration from the Eurodance sound of Madonna’s iconic album Ray of Light (1998), produced by William Orbit, combining hypnotic dancefloor anthems with elegant melodies to convey the emotional impact of heartbreak. Pain from the breakup was poured out in poetic fragments, forming the source of the album’s lyrics.

Founded in 2009, Austra has become a leading international reference for arty electro-pop in the style of Kate Bush. The project debuted in Canada with Feel It Break (2011), hailed as “an indisputable monument, the best album of the year” by the Toronto Star and “Best album of 2011” by New York Magazine. Subsequent releases, including Future Politics (2017), continued the trajectory. NME described the album as “like cold, pure water, it washes away the mental garbage leaving one feeling alive again.” Austra’s sound balances synth and gothic influences with touches of 1980s British new wave reminiscent of Japan and Soft Cell while remaining firmly contemporary. Stelmanis composes, produces and performs on all Austra albums.

Chin Up Buttercup offers catharsis, presenting a deeply personal and impactful listening experience. 

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