Fazerdaze

Fazerdaze
Murray performing in Singapore at the Trifecta Music Festival in 2023
Murray performing in Singapore at the Trifecta Music Festival in 2023
Background information
Birth nameAmelia Rahayu Murray
Born (1993-01-19) January 19, 1993 (age 31)[1]
Wellington, New Zealand
GenresDream pop, shoegaze, indie pop, indie rock
Years active2014–2017, 2022–present
LabelsFlying Nun, section1, Buttrfly Records
Websitefazerdaze.bandcamp.com

Amelia Rahayu Murray is a New Zealand singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist.[2][3] She is best known for her musical project Fazerdaze.

Murray first gained acclaim in 2014 for Fazerdaze's self-titled debut EP. She gained further recognition after releasing her debut album, Morningside, which was propelled by the success of "Lucky Girl", one of the singles from the album.[4] Following a period of burnout and personal challenges, she took a five-year break from music and returned in late 2022 with Fazerdaze's second EP Break!. Her sophomore album, Soft Power is set to release on 15 November 2024.

Fazerdaze's music is best known for its intimate introspective lyrics and dreamy echo-laden production.[2][5][6][7] Some of the genres associated with the project are dream pop, shoegaze and alternative rock.

Early life

[edit]

Murray was born to an English-born New Zealander father and an Indonesian mother and was raised in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington.[2][8] Her interest in playing music began when she played her father's guitar at age 13. During her time at Onslow College, a Wellington high school with a vibrant music scene, she formed a band with her friends called The Tangle. The band eventually disbanded after they graduated from high school.[9] Murray then made the decision to pursue music as her career and moved to Auckland to study music at University of Auckland.[10]

Career

[edit]

Fazerdaze EP: 2014

[edit]

While attending university, Murray began the Fazerdaze project after several failed attempts at forming bands. Soon after, she started to record her self-titled debut EP under the moniker.[2] The EP was self-released in October 2014 and received positive reviews.[9][11] She recorded it herself entirely in her bedroom studio in Auckland.[3][11][12] With the help of multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Pearce, who mastered the release,[13] she achieved a dream pop sound.[11] Upon the EP's release, Murray played at local shows by herself with backing tracks. Murray then met fellow Wellington musicians and expanded Fazerdaze's live band into a full band of auxiliary members accompanying her.[2]

Morningside: 2015–2017

[edit]
Murray performing at a live concert in France in May 2017

In May 2017, Murray released Fazerdaze's debut album, Morningside. The album was named after the Auckland neighborhood of the same name where she used to live.[nb 1][15][16] Morningside became a hit album, anchored by the song "Lucky Girl".[15][17] Murray shot the music video of the song, directed by Samuel Kristofski. She also edited the music video.[10] Murray suffered burnout after the success of Morningside and she encountered problems with unhealthy personal relationships.[2][18]

Break!: 2022–2023

[edit]

After taking a five-year hiatus from music, Murray returned with Fazerdaze's second EP, Break!, in late 2022.[2][3][18] She stated that her hiatus has been instrumental in helping her return to music, and she ended up finishing the EP during a three-month long lockdown in New Zealand.[3] Musically, Break! is quite different from her previous work and includes elements of dance pop and electronica.[19] In early 2023, Fazerdaze released "Flood Into" as a standalone single, which had previously been available exclusively on the vinyl version of Break!. [20][21] The track, identified as shoegaze,[21] delves into themes of deep love and loss.[20] Murray wrote it when she was anticipating a break-up from a long-term romantic relationship.[20]

Soft Power: 2024–current

[edit]

In September 2023, Fazerdaze released "Bigger, the lead single of her upcoming sophomore album, Soft Power. The song is characterised as a synth-infused alt-rock track that explores themes of personal growth, in that it reflects Murray's journey into womanhood and the pressures of navigating life as a musician.[22][23][24] On 10 September 2024, Murray announced the release of Fazerdaze's sophomore album, Soft Power. The album is set to release on 15 November 2024. Along with the announcement, she released "Cherry Pie", the second single from the album.[25] The song became her first No. 1 hit on the NZ Hot Singles chart.[26][27] In the following month, she released the third single from the album, "A Thousand Years" on 8 October 2024.[28]

Artistry and musicianship

[edit]

Murray mostly prefers making music by herself.[10] Her music as Fazerdaze are considered as dream pop, bedroom pop, indie pop, alternative rock, indie rock and shoegaze.[2][4][15][21] Some of Murray's musical influences include 1990s rock bands, such as Blur and Nirvana.[2]

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions
NZ
[29]
Morningside 23
Soft Power
  • Released: 15 November 2024
  • Label: Flying Nun
  • Format: LP, CD, digital download, streaming[30]
 —

Extended plays

[edit]
Title EP details Peak chart positions
NZ
[31]
Fazerdaze EP —
Break!
  • Released: 14 October 2022
  • Label: section1, Flying Nun
  • Format: LP, digital download, streaming[33][34]
 24

Singles

[edit]
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NZ
Hot
[35]
"Little Uneasy" 2015 — Morningside[30]
"Lucky Girl" 2017 —
"Take It Slow" —
"Come Apart" 2022 — Break![34]
"Break!" —
"Flood Into" 2023 —
"Bigger"[36] — Soft Power[37]
"Cherry Pie"[38] 2024 1
"A Thousand Years"[39]
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Collaborations

[edit]
  • Eyedress ft. Fazerdaze - "Window Eyes" (2018)
  • Sparrows ft. Fazerdaze - "Gold in the Tide" (2019)
  • The Phoenix Foundation - "Beside Yourself (with Fazerdaze)" (2021)
  • Voom ft. Fazerdaze - "Magic" (2022)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Fazerdaze - Break! Live Chat AMA". YouTube. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Thomas, Fred. "Fazerdaze Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Lochrie, Connor (14 October 2022). "Fazerdaze Releases Long-Awaited EP 'Break!'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b Stubbs, Warwick (5 May 2017). "Fazerdaze - Morningside - Albums - Reviews - Soundblab". Soundblab. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  5. ^ Renshaw, David (12 April 2017). "Fazerdaze's Morningside Is A Coming Of Age Album For Introverts". The Fader. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Fazerdaze's Sparkling Guitar Pop Finds the Balance Between Darkness and Light". Bandcamp Daily. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  7. ^ Hill, Marty (14 June 2017). "Fazerdaze: Experiential Learning". Under the Radar. Retrieved 30 October 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "FAZERDAZE Interview- growing up in New Zealand, self confidence, music video". YouTube - SIDEWALK TALK EDM Interview. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  9. ^ a b Adriana (23 July 2015). "Introducing: Fazerdaze". HVNGRY. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  10. ^ a b c Chatterjee, Uppy (3 July 2017). "Why Fazerdaze is DIY and going her own way". Red Bull. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Wylie, Lachlan (16 November 2014). "Fazerdaze - Fazerdaze EP". Happy Mag. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Fazerdaze EP, by Fazerdaze". Fazerdaze. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Jonathan Pearce - The Beths". MMF AOTEAROA. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  14. ^ Stamp, Tony (13 October 2022). "Why Fazerdaze disappeared". RNZ. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  15. ^ a b c Schulz, Chris (4 May 2017). "Fazerdaze quietly sneaks out of her bedroom with debut album Morningside". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  16. ^ Fazerdaze - The Morningside Interview | DIFFUS, 4 May 2017, retrieved 9 May 2023
  17. ^ Glickman, David. "Fazerdaze: Morningside". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  18. ^ a b Stamp, Tony (13 October 2022). "Why Fazerdaze disappeared". RNZ. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Break! by Fazerdaze". Bandcamp. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  20. ^ a b c Moir, Tammy (10 March 2023). "Fazerdaze releases 'Flood Into' a journey of love, loss and personal reclamation". Happy Mag. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  21. ^ a b c Lochrie, Conor (9 March 2023). "Fazerdaze Recognises Lost Love on Shoegaze Anthem 'Flood Into'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  22. ^ Carter, Daisy (2 November 2023). "Fazerdaze: "I feel a lot less worried about what people think now"". DIY. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  23. ^ Lochrie, Conor (14 September 2023). "Fazerdaze Deftly Explores the Pressures of Being a Musician on 'Bigger'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  24. ^ Kendall, Arun (13 September 2023). "Track: Everything is 'Bigger' for Fazerdaze as she releases ethereal new single ahead of Australian and European tour". Backseat Mafia. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  25. ^ Lochrie, Conor (10 September 2024). "Fazerdaze Announces Long-Awaited Second Album 'Soft Power'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  26. ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  27. ^ "NZ Charts". www.instagram.com. 20 September 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  28. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-CeI3yJZDs
  29. ^ "charts.org.nz - Fazerdaze - Morningside". charts.nz. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  30. ^ a b c "Fazerdaze - Morningside". Flying Nun. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  31. ^ "Official Top 40 Albums 24 October 2022". The Official NZ Music Charts. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  32. ^ "Fazerdaze EP, by Fazerdaze". Fazerdaze. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  33. ^ "Fazerdaze - Break! EP". Flying Nun Australia. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  34. ^ a b Store, Partisan Records, Fazerdaze - Break!. Partisan Records Store., retrieved 9 May 2023
  35. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  36. ^ Lochrie, Conor (14 September 2023). "Fazerdaze Deftly Explores the Pressures of Being a Musician on 'Bigger'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  37. ^ Pedder, Alan (10 September 2024). "Fazerdaze previews new album 'Soft Power' with lead single "Cherry Pie"". The Needle Drop. Retrieved 20 September 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  38. ^ "Hot 20 NZ Singles". The Official NZ Music Charts. 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  39. ^ Lochrie, Conor (10 October 2024). "Fazerdaze Ponders Power Dynamics on 'A Thousand Years". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 12 October 2024.

Notes

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  1. ^ Murray currently resides in Christchurch.[14]
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