Emerging Alternative group Vogue Villains Lick Wounds with New Single, “Pretty Gorgeous”
Vogue Villains, an alt-rock outfit from Vancouver Island, BC, embraces necessary risk by exposing a side of vulnerability in order to further deepen the relationship with their listeners, and “Pretty Gorgeous” will do just that.
“Pretty Gorgeous” is a darkly toned sway of a song that explores the depths of our inner psyche, the devilish monologue in your mind that flirts with the balance between self-loving and self-loathing, all while coming to terms with who you truly are…or might be.
These Western Canadian rockers have made genuine connections with many new listeners following the impact of their last release, “Bleed.” Not to mention their pre-existing fanbase has only grown stronger with each musical effort put forth, encouraging not only the band themselves to stay in touch with their authenticity; but for the fans to also seek refuge in music that is written with blunt truth, woven like a tapestry made up of grand stories and raw emotional honesty.
Review
“Pretty Gorgeous” is a slow-burning alt-rock track that dives into the depths of self-reflection and the toll that time and life’s challenges can take on one’s perception of beauty.
The opening lines set a melancholic tone, emphasizing the numbness that has settled in over the years. The words “The wind blows, but how would you know? You haven’t felt nothin’ in years” convey a feeling of emotional disconnection and numbness, it implies that the person has grown insensitive to the delicate intricacies of life.
The chorus delivers a powerful punch with the assertion that the subject was once “gorgeous” but has now become merely “pretty.” The lyrics question the superficial nature of beauty, challenging the listener to consider whether the external appearance truly reflects the internal struggles and emptiness.
In a nutshell, “Pretty Gorgeous” is a compelling journey of self-discovery through its captivating story and emotional music. The song encourages listeners to explore the subtle complexities of finding oneself and embrace the changing aspects of authenticity amid life’s challenges. It’s an invitation to not just hear, but truly feel the transformative power of staying true to oneself.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Sometimes it’s difficult to pin down exactly what we as Vogue Villains consider ourselves, let alone what others might think, but if I had to try some sort of short-form… We are an alternative rock band that swims in and out of genres, time signatures, and moods like an eccentric sea otter who fancies catchy melodies and harmonies as much as crunchy riffs (fish). Suffice it to say we have our own sound and once you know it, you know it, ya know? But also, we love wearing our influences on our sleeves as we bounce in and out of the box, bringing with us our every whim. There are multiple ways to listen to us but if you want to experience it all, you have to come see us live as much as hear our music from the studio.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
After coming off of a song like Bleed and our two previous rocking/dancing singles, we felt like, especially in these cold months, it was time to take a step back and reveal a more vulnerable side to VV. Pretty Gorgeous is a deeper, darker track in comparison and really delves introspectively into the balance between self-loathing and self-loving. Dynamically this song is stacked up with dramatic shifts that really bring you through the motions with us, while hopefully getting you to look inward as well. Like the on-and-off thematics of mask-wearing, the music goes back and forth from an almost dragging sway and swagger in the verses and punchy choruses, through a musical and emotional breakdown bridge and explodes into an ending that crescendos into pure, raw energy. Or to put it more simply, we’re gonna slow it down for y’all on this one (But still rock your socks off).
Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?
Currently, we have just finished a good handful of shows, especially throughout the summer and the rest of 2023 and we are coming to a bit of a cool down going into Christmas, we will still be releasing new singles, music videos, etc. clear out this time but also will have time to do some writing, film and edit some more stuff and play some catch-up, phew. But other than all that we will be preparing for our Western Canadian tour coming up in March in support of our upcoming debut LP! If you thought we were buzzing with energy before this, just wait till we can finally unleash the rest of this music on you all, muahaha.
If given the chance, which Canadian artist would you love to work with in the future?
Honestly, so many. At this point, we would be beyond ecstatic to open for more acts that are above us in the music scene. Bring us on tour, and allow us to reach the humans in this world that would vibe with us! Or just humble us in the way of the road! Or the studio… *Cough cough* Billy Talent, Mother Mother, Half Moon Run, we’re listening in your direction!
What’s your goal for 2024?
I think 2024 is going to be a big year for Vogue Villains. We’re going on tour, hopefully a few times at that and we’d love to hit as many festivals as we can along the way. But perhaps the thing we’re most excited about at the moment is to just get this new album Built On Bones to everyone’s ear holes and share the excitement that’s been boiling over for us for far too long. I know we will be writing new music, recording, and filming new music videos as well. So like I said, all in all, it’s going to be a big year for us and we just hope that your current and future friends come along for the ride with us, let’s rock this road together.