merci, mercy

Australian singer/songwriter Mercedes Thorne created Merci, Mercy as her creative vehicle for crafting magnetic pop songs that confront mental health challenges and youthful missteps with raw candor. The project burst forward in 2020 via the ethereal track “F***ed Myself Up,” steadily drawing listeners through an expanding catalog of infectious singles and EPs.

During her teenage years, Thorne experienced two family relocations from Australia to China and then Thailand, leaving her feeling disconnected upon returning home—a disorientation mirrored in her chosen moniker Merci, Mercy, born from uncertainty about spelling her nickname. She funneled this unease into songwriting and independently issued her debut track “Be” in 2019. The release quickly attracted label attention, securing her a contract with the Australian major Liberation Records.

Collaborating with writer/producers Edwin White (Vance Joy) and Joel Quartermain (G Flip), she unveiled the vibrant singles “F***ed Myself Up” and “Fall Apart” ahead of her debut EP No Thank You, No Thanks (2020), where she addressed alcohol abuse, toxic relationships, and self-doubt openly to sustain dialogue on these sensitive subjects.

No Thank You, No Thanks received strong critical praise. The following year brought her second EP, Is It Me, Or Is It You?, chiefly shaped by American producer Chris Collins (Mod Fun, Gang of Youths) and spotlighting the well-received numbers “Winnie Crush” and “Into You.” Her third EP, Like an Orchid, landed in 2023, again teaming her with Collins while adding input from Aussie producer Robby De Sá and the Wombats frontman Matthew “Murph” Murphy.