Superstar Crush Channel Late Night Desperation on Power Ballad “They Keep Calling,” Debut Album ‘Way Too Much’ Out 8/5
Hamilton, Ontario baroque-pop quartet Superstar Crush share their latest single, “They Keep Calling,” a bombastic power ballad rooted in female rage, emotional exhaustion, and mutual care. Tugging at the threads of pop-rock melodrama, the track is the latest preview of their debut album, Way Too Much, due August 5th, and a vivid portrait of creative camaraderie and burnout survival.
Written from the perspective of lead singer Marzieh Darling – by her partner and bandmate Sam Hansell – “They Keep Calling” is a love letter in reverse: one that says “I see you,” when no one else does. Inspired by the overwhelming sense of obligation she carried as a confidant, friend, and university Resident Advisor, the song chronicles a descent into psychic static, with Marzieh as its electrified centre.
“I didn’t really know how to help,” says Sam. “So I wrote a scenario where she finally stands up and asks to be heard.”
The song’s unique production – equal parts polished and chaotic – came from a delirious overnight session at their old middle school. Sam and drummer Truaxe Fox set up a DIY studio in the forest-fringed building and tracked into the early hours, chasing ideas with semi-filled wine glasses and sleepless abandon. The next morning, bassist Chloe Butler-Stubbs and Marzieh arrived to add their voices, turning the sonic mess into something crystalline.
“Our friend Lenny McGowan (Irresponsible Purchase) dropped by for coffee,” says Truaxe. “We ended up asking them to record a dream tap dance solo which you can hear at the very end of the track.”
Lyrically desperate and sonically layered, “They Keep Calling” is a Frankenstein of references: tremolo vocals à la Capital Steez, Motels-tight drums, Mike Dean synths, and Bangles-style string drama courtesy of violinist Helen Faucher. It’s a song stitched together by mutual admiration, inside jokes, and deeply felt emotion.
“A lot of our songs are like that – inspired by each other,” says the band.