Melbourne indie-pop chameleon Gypsy Lee is maintaining her impressive momentum. Hot on the heels of her bold previous track ‘SNITCHES’, she returns with an equally striking follow-up single, ‘WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU COSTS A LOT IN THERAPY’. The new release highlights a deeply personal brand of storytelling, offering a songwriting style that manages to be incredibly engaging and completely transparent all at once.
Just like her previous material, the magnetic charm of this track stems from a genuine chapter in Gypsy Lee’s own life. Written amidst the heavy isolation of the Melbourne COVID-19 lockdowns, the song captures the emotional turbulence of navigating high school during an incredibly chaotic period.
“I wrote this song with my good friend Thrones (Andrew Lowden). The song became my way of expressing just how upsetting that time was as a teenage girl. It was obviously a riff on what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but at that time I didn’t feel like it was making me stronger, it was just a never ending compilation of failure”.
While the origins of the track reside in a relatively dark place, the final arrangement sparkles with resilience. A sonic playfulness allows listeners to easily lose themselves in the track's vibrant energy, while the core lyrics retain their heavy emotional weight.
To bring the record to life, Gypsy Lee collaborated with a stellar lineup of local musicians who connected deeply with the song's underlying themes.
“I was keen on working with musicians that really understood the deeper meaning in the song and being able to get their take on that. Jonathan Fuda, who plays guitar for me in my band, tracked the electric guitars and blew my mind how much he got inside the song. Same with bass and drums; we were lucky enough to record with the most unbelievable musicians: Nic Durant - bassist from Melbourne rockers The Crystal Ship, and drummer extraordinaire Lewis Morphett, who are both just insanely talented. Watching the record come to life the way it did was such an amazing time and I’m so excited for everyone to finally hear this.”
The mental landscapes of the track are further explored in an accompanying visualiser directed by WILKS. Featuring a series of raw, notebook-style sketches drawn by the artist herself, the visuals perfectly mirror the restless energy of a young mind attempting to decode a complicated world. Ultimately, it stands as a comforting beacon for anyone else who grew up feeling out of place.
“This song feels like the last little piece of my Teenage hood. I had a really hard time fitting in growing up and I think this song came from trying to make sense of feelings I didn’t really have the words for back then. I stick to the belief that it’s an artist's job to create the music from experience, but once it’s shared, it doesn’t belong to you anymore. If this song finds someone who feels the same way, or makes them feel understood for even a moment, that means everything to me. This song is for you."
You can stream ‘WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU COSTS A LOT IN THERAPY’ now on all major platforms. To stay updated on her upcoming tour dates and future EP releases, make sure to follow Gypsy Lee on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.
