Vicky Farewell

Los Angeles-based indie pop artist Vicky Farewell announces her new album, Give A Damn, out May 10th via Mac’s Record Label, and shares its lead single/video, “Tern Me On.” Following her acclaimed 2021 debut, Sweet Company, hailed as “a dreamy, joyful reflection on the pain of change” (SPIN), Give A Damn marks a notable shift for Farewell. Lyrically mature, personal and sincere, the album sees a departure from Farewell’s days of a youthful musician crafting pop songs to that of a stoic, unflinching storyteller guiding her audience along an existential tour. Entirely self-written and produced from her Los Angeles apartment, Give A Damn delves into emotional complexity, insecurity and attachment. “I needed to embrace vulnerability in order to meet my deeper self,” Farewell explains. “These songs came from a real place.”

On lead single “Tern Me On,” a FM electric piano reminiscent of the late 90s serves as the guide. “I recorded an improvised take of myself playing and babbling nonsensically until somehow the blueprint for ‘Tern Me On’ was born.” A heartfelt, sexually bold story, “Tern Me On” examines a star-crossed casual relationship teetering on thin ice between love and lust.

Hailing from Orange County, California, Vicky Farewell discovered her passion for the piano as a child from attending weekly church services. This early fascination for music prompted her to study classical repertoire for 10 years, with a curiosity for advanced harmony leading Farewell to scour public library branches throughout Southern California for jazz records by Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett and Renee Rosnes. Eventually Farewell’s musical journey found her digging through the local music shops at the Asian Garden Mall in Little Saigon where she discovered bootleg copies of American popular music, 90s R&B, Y2K Eurodance mixes and post-war Vietnamese-American popular songs. These diverse influences coupled with her lone dedication to musical study laid the foundation for her distinctive artistry.

Looking to showcase her growth as an artist, Farewell’s new album, staunchly titled Give A Damn, signifies a notable shift for the artist. While sorting through storage, Farewell rediscovered her first synthesizer from the early 2000s–a Yamaha S08–a sentimental keyboard which served as a catalyst for much of Give A Damn, contributing to its romantic digital soundscape. “The S08 ignited a flame once I started writing my songs,” she reveals. “I found a part of myself again that gave me what I needed to set the tone for the record.” Marking her growth from the once shy bubblegum pop of her first venture, Give A Damn explores Farewell’s desire to make sense of the unknown. “I think it’s a fitting album title for the times.”

For those in the Los Angeles area, Farewell has announced an album release show on May 15th at Zebulon, with support from King Pari & Daryl Johns along with a DJ set from Mac DeMarco and Kiera McNally. Ticket info available here.