Calypso takes 2000s pop-star energy and plays it with a dark twist
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13.10.2021

Calypso takes 2000s pop-star energy and plays it with a dark twist

Calypso

Calypso is a new Melbourne dark-pop artist who’s just released her debut single ‘Jealous’, blending pop vocals with punk elements.

The 25-year-old is also the front woman of quartet Scarlett 13, which takes on the likes of Evanescence, Fall Out Boy and The Superjesus, but with influences ranging from Kylie Minogue to The Weeknd.

On debut track ‘Jealous’, made with partner BLCKWILLOW, Calypso dives into personal territory and with a background in poetry and rap, she says her music emanates angst, tension, heartbreak, lust and love.

“I love telling a story through music,” she says. 

“‘Jealous’ meaning draws from an experience of mine, of being so in love with someone I was so sure was my person but feeling so hurt and played by them, and no matter what I did I couldn’t stop loving them, even after they kept hurting me. 

“The song is also about wondering where they are, who they are with and missing them so much even though they continually let you down. It’s about the mental conflict that goes on when your relationship with someone is toxic but you can’t get them out of your head.

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To me it’s also about knowing you both love each other but not being able to be honest with yourselves and vulnerable enough to make it work, so you self sabotage and hurt the other person before they can hurt you. I feel like we’ve all been there.”

Calypso’s personal influences are very much from the post-Kylie stratosphere; she name rolls Britney Spears, Pink, Rihanna, Avril Lavigne, Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Ciara, “all the queens” and admits she “was just completely obsessed”.

“Pop music back then was something else and I really want to emanate the power those women had on the industry,” she says. “Recently I’m really inspired by Halsey and have taken more interest in some punk pop bands such as Stand Atlantic.”

She also takes inspiration from the beats she’s delivered; “‘Jealous’ happened super organically,” she explains. “We weren’t even trying to create a single, we were just going through some beats that we were sent and stumbled upon this beat called ‘Jealous’. 

“I wrote the song that day and couldn’t get it out of my head so decided to make it my debut single. We kept the name as we just vibed with it. We liked that the way you feel when you’re jealous is the resentment you feel when you really want someone’s attention that you don’t have.”

However she has no shortage of original ideas to draw from. Her take on love and loss stems from her own life experiences, of which there’s plenty, and she’s now fearlessly preparing to showcase to the world, by first connecting with Melbourne’s reawakening music scene.

“I’ve still got so much to come but I’m really excited to show more lyricism and share more emotion through my music, so people can understand me as a person and I can be raw and open with my story,” she continues.

“I have so much to share and say and can’t wait to connect with others through this platform. My debut is done and I’ve got another single on the way coming out early December, which will be more of a storytelling song, with more punk elements.

“I’ve got so many ideas, but I really want to collaborate with more artists, produce a concept album, and design merchandise as fashion, which is also a huge passion of mine.”

Calypso’s debut single is out now, the music video comes out October 18th at 7pm.

Follow her @calypso.official.music and BLCKWILLOW @blckwillowofficial