Positive Spin comes to you bathed in golden light, a hazy sunset of love and heartbreak, growth and understanding. It’s an infectious album, full of beautiful moments of classic, emotive pop from Melbourne’s Gretta Ray.
From a Triple J Unearthed win in 2016, to the Vanda and Young Global Songwriting Prize, it’s hard to imagine a more impressive start for Gretta Ray. Her 2021 debut album Begin to Look Around was nominated for both an ARIA Music Award (Breakthrough Artist – Release) and a J Award (Australian Album of the Year). Add to that a sold-out headliner tour in 2022, an Australian arena tour supporting Gang of Youths and a viral - moment - with her poignant and entirely breathtaking cover of Billy Joel’s Vienna on TikTok (a dazzling high that has so far hit over 20 million streams globally, and half a million creates across socials).
Making pop music this good isn’t easy - there’s a commitment to and understanding of the form, the way to capture an audience’s hearts as well as bodies that comes from hours of performing, creating energy and connection on stage.
The beats are electrifying, holding time and building momentum for the lustre of the melodies and the power of Ray’s vocals. Seemingly effortless and often playful, Ray knows just when to be soft and conspiratorial, and when to soar; finding perfect pop-coated moments to lift you up again and again. Listening to the chorus of Heartbreak Baby feels like running into a friend on the dancefloor who is one drink ahead of you and just glowing and owning the space.
Positive Spin does what every sophomore album hopes for, it both extends and refines the work of the artist. The tone and agility of Ray’s vocals give her lots of room to play, and her maturity as both a songwriter and a performer is evident. Her last album brought with it a sold-out headliner tour, and support shows to arenas nationally - a real baptism by fire when it comes to honing your craft.
Ray feels entirely at home in herself with this album, making and embracing her best and most honest work yet: “Being in pop music and being a woman in pop music... your perception of where you’re at can get very warped. I’m starting to really settle into my mid-20s... I feel stronger now than I ever have... I am so much more equipped to do the job now, and to be this person now... I feel really empowered by the knowledge that I have gotten, over the years of experience that I have had in this industry”.