HOW TO GROW A SUNFLOWER UNDERWATER TOUR;
SHARES VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE ‘HAIRCUT’
Forthcoming album How to Grow A Sunflower Underwater
out July 22 | Pre-order
PRAISE FOR ALEX THE ASTRONAUT
“remarkably refreshing and uplifting… Only through the lens of an artistic songwriting maven can we begin to see and experience the world in neoteric ways.” – Rolling Stone album review (4.5 stars)
“…the caffeinated instrumental and excitable lyric delivery about the shift in perspective that comes with the near-literal wool being removed from in front of your eyes post-haircut are really what shine through.” – FLOOD
“I think she’s one of the greatest songwriters of our time.” – Andrew Mast, Press Play
“Evolving not just as an artist, but as a human too… it’s Alex the Astronaut at her most empathetic and emotionally-transparent.” – Rolling Stone
“Haircut celebrates the simple, messy joy of discovering who you are meant to become – or at least feeling like you are getting closer to it.” – The Guardian (Best New Music for June)
“Melodies to glide effortlessly through surging waves of life’s complexities to a calm expansive horizon of self-discovery.” – Pilerats
“Bubbling with positivity and joy… Danceable and joyful, ‘Haircut’ is a celebration of personal growth, self discovery and friendship.” – The AU Review
“Heart-wrenching” – Purple Sneakers
“One of our absolute faves” – Something You Said
“Definitely a song to listen to with a loved one by your side.” – Cool Accidents
“[Alex the Astronaut] is so adept at writing pop songs that capture the rush of young love, friendship, confusion, sadness and all those messy situations that dominate your early 20s” – The Guardian
inger, songwriter and storyteller ALEX THE ASTRONAUT has unveiled Australian tour dates in support of her forthcoming album How to Grow A Sunflower Underwater (out July 22) and released the video for her latest single ‘Haircut’ today. In her first Australian tour in almost four years, Alex the Astronaut will play 10 headline shows with a full band around the country this August and September with special guests to be announced, plus performances at Splendour in the Grass, River Sounds and Springtime Festivals. Tickets are on sale now from alextheastronaut.com.
Inspired by the reflection that came after Alex the Astronaut cut off all her hair for charity, ‘Haircut’ celebrates personal growth and the journey of self-discovery side by side with your friends. Shining a light on Alex the Astronaut’s unique ability of contrasting small moments with the profound and life-changing, the wildly bubbly and upbeat ‘Haircut’ has been named in The Guardian’s Best New Music for June, added to full rotation on triple j, received airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music, and spotlighted by The AU Review, NME and Music Feeds among many others.
On the video, which was directed by Claudia Bailey, Alex the Astronaut shares, “I loved “Call Me By Your Name” when I first saw it because it was presented as a love story first, and not just a ‘gay story’. In the same way, I wanted to show a story about gender just as a story about growing up. I think the biggest part of growing up is our friends. Claud the director made such a beautiful, bright narrative about two friends working out themselves side by side that fits the song perfectly.” Alex continues, “Claud, the crew, LJ (my on-screen best friend) and I had so much fun filming. It felt like we were filming a movie. I think it got across the joy, terror, brightness, dark and excitement of growing into the person that you want to be.”
Alex the Astronaut’s forthcoming second album How to Grow A Sunflower Underwater is an intimate exploration of post-traumatic growth, and a body of work affirming Alex as a truly essential songwriter, capable of transforming the way we view ourselves and the world around us. The album documents both the seemingly mundane (a haircut, a therapy session, a trip to the beach and the supermarket) and utterly life-changing moments (her experience as a caretaker and the PTSD that followed, her recent autism spectrum diagnosis) imbuing her songs with equal parts awareness and sensitivity, imagination and idiosyncratic humour. Reinforcing Alex the Astronaut’s graceful ability to merge the playful with the profound, How to Grow A Sunflower Underwater taps into new vulnerabilities for Alex as she documents the complexities of life, her strength as a songwriter magnified by her sense of empathy and embracing a new level of emotional transparency.
Mixed by Miro Mackie (St. Vincent, Dirty Projectors) and produced by Alex the Astronaut with Sam Cromack, Daniel Hanson, and Dean Hanson of Brisbane band Ball Park Music, How to Grow A Sunflower Underwater brings her intensely personal storytelling to a kaleidoscopic form of folk/indie-pop. Alex the Astronaut hopes with the release of How to Grow A Sunflower Underwater, her self-reflection might inspire listeners to open up and re-examine how they connect with others.
With over 25 million streams and over 2 million views on her music videos under her belt along with adoring media fans at The New York Times, NPR, BBC Radio 1, triple j, The Guardian and The Line of Best Fit, Alex the Astronaut has captured hearts and fans around the globe. The single ‘Octopus’,which documented Alex’s recent autism spectrum diagnosis, was named Best New Music by The Guardian, Pilerats and The AU Review. ‘Growing Up’ soundtracked Season 2 of the Stan Original Series Bump, was #16 most played on triple j and together with‘Airport’ received Song of the Day and Best Track of the Week status across Rolling Stone, Something You Said, Music Feeds, The AU Review and more. Alex the Astronaut has released two acclaimed EPs, To Whom It May Concern (2017) and See You Soon (2017), and her critically acclaimed, ARIA nominated debut album The Theory of Absolutely Nothing (2020), which was named “a work of genius” by NME and included as an Honourable Mention inRolling Stone’s Top 200 Australian Albums of All Time.
How to Grow A Sunflower Underwater Tour
Tickets on sale now from alextheastronaut.com
Sunday July 24 – Splendour in the Grass – Bundjalung Nation / Byron Bay, NSW
Thursday August 11 – Freo Social – Noongar / Perth, WA
Saturday August 13 – Darwin Festival – Garramilla / Darwin, NT
Thursday August 18 – Kambri at ANU – Ngunnawal Country / Canberra, ACT
Friday August 19 – City Recital Hall – Eora / Sydney, NSW
Saturday August 20 – The Cambridge – Mulubinba / Newcastle NSW
Sunday August 21 – River Sounds – Gumbaynggirr Nation / Bellingen NSW
Friday September 2 – Tanks Arts Centre – Gimuy / Cairns QLD
Saturday September 3 – The Triffid – Meeanjin / Brisbane, QLD
Sunday September 4 – Springtime Festival – Kombumerri Country / Gold Coast, QLD
Thursday September 8 – Corner Hotel – Naarm / Melbourne, VIC
Friday September 9 – Altar – nipaluna / Hobart, TAS
Saturday September 10 – Uni Bar – Kaurna Land / Adelaide, SA
Alex the Astronaut – How to Grow A Sunflower Underwater
Out July 22 (Warner Music Australia)
Pre-order here
How to Grow A Sunflower Underwater track list:
1. Growing Up
2. Haunted
3. Octopus
4. Airport
5. Sick
6. South London
7. Ride My Bike
8. To Be Something Good
9. Northern Lights
10. Haircut
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