Biography
Over their time together, the North London trio Girl Ray has established itself among the indie scene’s more unpredictable and even mercurial outfits. While their music has always revolved around melancholy melodies, quietly introspective lyrics, and a warm blend of voices, they have explored an array of musical forms. Early work drew from C-86-style indie pop and folky psychedelia on 2018’s Earl Grey, yet later projects saw them embrace giddy mainstream pop with 2019’s Girl and glittery, love-struck disco on 2023’s Prestige, each delivered with charming earnestness and skillful technique.
Poppy Hankin and Iris McConnell first connected while on a school holiday, writing songs as guitarist/vocalist and drummer before bassist Sophie Moss completed the lineup. During their A Levels the trio laid down the initial single “Ghosty,” which was followed by “I’ll Make This Fun,” prompting a deal with Moshi Moshi. They captured the label debut “Trouble” on what would have been their final day of school, and the track appeared in late 2016. Girl Ray performed across the U.K., offered a holiday-season cover of the Waitresses’ “Christmas Wrapping,” and began preparing an album. With assistance from friend and occasional live guitarist Mike O’Malley, they spent two weeks at Big Jelly Studios in Ramsgate, tracking material that became their debut. After issuing teaser cuts “Stupid Things” and “Preacher,” the harmony-filled Earl Grey arrived in mid-2017. The band then embarked on its first U.K. headlining tour and, in early 2018, released “The Way We Came Back.”
Back home, Hankin attempted new songs in the style of Earl Grey but found the results unsatisfying. The members had been absorbing mainstream pop by artists such as Ariana Grande and chose to redirect their sound accordingly. Teaming with producer Ash Workman (Metronomy/Christine and the Queens), they crafted recordings that merged lush vocal harmonies with a left-field pop sensibility; the resulting album Girl appeared on Moshi Moshi in late 2019. A limited number of U.K. shows followed before COVID-19 halted activity. Once able to resume, the trio worked at the London studio of Al Doyle and Joe Goddard of Hot Chip, yielding the 2021 single “Give Me Your Love,” an almost eight-minute slice of electro-disco.
Resuming live performances at the first opportunity, the group drew inspiration while watching Pose and absorbing its soundtrack; Hankin conceived a follow-up album as an all-inclusive disco-inspired dance party featuring Nile Rodgers-style guitar and upbeat melodies. They traveled to Atlanta to collaborate with producer Ben H. Allen on material intended to complement the neo-disco sound of contemporaries such as Dua Lipa, Kylie Minogue, and Jessie Ware. Prestige was released in mid-2023 by Moshi Moshi.
Poppy Hankin and Iris McConnell first connected while on a school holiday, writing songs as guitarist/vocalist and drummer before bassist Sophie Moss completed the lineup. During their A Levels the trio laid down the initial single “Ghosty,” which was followed by “I’ll Make This Fun,” prompting a deal with Moshi Moshi. They captured the label debut “Trouble” on what would have been their final day of school, and the track appeared in late 2016. Girl Ray performed across the U.K., offered a holiday-season cover of the Waitresses’ “Christmas Wrapping,” and began preparing an album. With assistance from friend and occasional live guitarist Mike O’Malley, they spent two weeks at Big Jelly Studios in Ramsgate, tracking material that became their debut. After issuing teaser cuts “Stupid Things” and “Preacher,” the harmony-filled Earl Grey arrived in mid-2017. The band then embarked on its first U.K. headlining tour and, in early 2018, released “The Way We Came Back.”
Back home, Hankin attempted new songs in the style of Earl Grey but found the results unsatisfying. The members had been absorbing mainstream pop by artists such as Ariana Grande and chose to redirect their sound accordingly. Teaming with producer Ash Workman (Metronomy/Christine and the Queens), they crafted recordings that merged lush vocal harmonies with a left-field pop sensibility; the resulting album Girl appeared on Moshi Moshi in late 2019. A limited number of U.K. shows followed before COVID-19 halted activity. Once able to resume, the trio worked at the London studio of Al Doyle and Joe Goddard of Hot Chip, yielding the 2021 single “Give Me Your Love,” an almost eight-minute slice of electro-disco.
Resuming live performances at the first opportunity, the group drew inspiration while watching Pose and absorbing its soundtrack; Hankin conceived a follow-up album as an all-inclusive disco-inspired dance party featuring Nile Rodgers-style guitar and upbeat melodies. They traveled to Atlanta to collaborate with producer Ben H. Allen on material intended to complement the neo-disco sound of contemporaries such as Dua Lipa, Kylie Minogue, and Jessie Ware. Prestige was released in mid-2023 by Moshi Moshi.
Albums
Singles
