Melbourne pop artist Royal Drue’s euphoric debut single is an irresistible outpouring of empowerment, self-love and perfect pop.
Taking on the world with a potent pop vision, Melbourne singer-songwriter Royal Drue has unveiled her debut single ‘Cinderella’ – a lush, fun and nostalgic slice of pop perfection.
Released independently on June 24, ‘Cinderella’ is as unapologetic as it is utterly enthralling and symbolises a brand new chapter for Royal Drue, the moniker of established artist Alexandra Smirneos.
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Channelling intimate emotion and passionate energy into an addictive, irresistible three-and-a-half-minute upheaval, ‘Cinderella’ is an anthem surging with absolute confidence.
Packed with the fierce power and catchy flair that you’d expect from an empowering pop anthem, ‘Cinderella’ beats the odds to feel both fresh and exciting upon first listen: It’s the combination of Drue’s impressive vocals, soaring melodies and that unmistakable charisma that helps make this song an intoxicating thrill.
With nods to the likes of Taylor Swift (fans of the Lover album will adore this), Lady Gaga, Beren Olivia, LØLØ and the early works of Katy Perry, the hypnotic pop track showcases Drue’s songwriting prowess. Weaving a majestic, mesmerizing tapestry of buoyant beats, vibrant verses and wonderful nostalgia, ‘Cinderella’ encourages listeners to take ownership over their expression, sexuality and identity.
In an inspiring burst of energy, Drue rises to an incredible fever pitch in the song’s anthemic chorus and a resounding and catchy statement we will be playing on repeat for years and years to come:
I’ll keep crying I’m a Princess, I’m a Princess Prince Charming
I’ll let you love my walk, my talk, and my bullshit stories
I’ll even play hard to get when you want my number in your phone babe
I’ll keep crying I’m a Princess with my blue lips I’ll be a darling
And while the track is a roaring anthem of empowerment, as Royal Drue candidly explains, ‘Cinderella’ started out as a magical accident.
“I came up with the chorus melody straight away and then the lyrics fell right into place. I didn’t know what it was going to be about until I started the writing process.
“After writing the lyrics “I’ll keep crying I’m a princess, I’m a princess prince charming” I knew I wanted to form the rest of the song around Cinderella references. I loved the idea of making it about sexual role play, so that became the core inspiration for the whole song.
“From there I dove in pretty deep and made sure the song had a strong empowering message that you can be whoever you want to be, however you want to be on your own terms.”
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Working alongside one of Drue’s closest friends and favourite collaborators, Sean Donehue, and with production taken care of by the talents at MSquared, ‘Cinderella’ is a super-fun standout pop hit that makes your heart burst. Here Drue expands the scope of her artistry: Sonically, melodically, and lyrically, this track radiates intent.
Equal parts genius and fun, nostalgic, bold and eminently likeable, this debut brings us up-close-and-personal with Drue as a solo artist in her own right; fuelled by passion and an ear for creativity, catchy connection, drawn from her already incredible musical journey so far.
Already at just 24 years of age, Royal Drue has worked with an impressive list of Aussie favourites including Client Liason, Kaiit, Em Rusciano, and Young Divas’ Emily Williams, as well as sharing the stage with Baker Boy as feature artist at his local shows earlier this year.
Performing since the tender age of five, Drue also performs with the acclaimed Gospel/Techno crossover project Sunshine and the Disco Faith Choir – as both lead singer and vocal director – who recently signed to Lonely Lands Agency alongside heavy hitters including Tones and I, Tash Sultana and Boy & Bear.
With a wealth of experience, Royal Drue is a project that will see the singer-songwriter dive deeper and dig further than anything she’s done before. At the same time, judging solely from her debut and vision, this project promises to be the singer/songwriter’s most accessible and relatable work to date.
“It’s always been on the cards but there were plenty of things I needed to do before going out on my own as a solo artist. All of my experiences as a session musician and collaborations with other artists have made me who I am today.
“I can and have been impatient lol… but I’m so glad I got the chance to work with all these incredibly talented creatives because it gave me the chance to figure out who I wanted to be as an artist myself and what story I was going to tell.
“I’ve tried, failed, changed my mind, failed and tried again so many times. My journey to now has been so important in my development not only as an artist but as a human and I think that’s how I know that now’s the time to step out and do my own thing.”
Sparing no expense in not just owning, but fully embracing being unapologetically herself – and encouraging others to do so too – ‘Cinderella’ arrives alongside a sparkling, lively film clip that sees Royal Drue playing multiple characters representing multiple aspects of herself.
From glam to grunge and everything in between, the characters are symbolic versions of a ‘Cinderella’ that defy the conventions of your typical Disney princess, celebrating the parts of us that make us special, unique, and different.
“It’s a metaphor. ‘Cinderella’ shows that you can choose who you want to be. You have the ability to try on different versions of yourself; you can be whoever you want to be, however you want to be, whenever you want to be”.
A definitive artist to watch, Royal Drue is one-of-a-kind; a performer at the top of her game, she’s accomplished something truly remarkable with her debut release and we cannot wait to see where she goes from here.
“I’ve always felt ready as a performer and creatively but as a person, I think I’m the readiest now than I’ve ever been. It’s always scary taking the first leap, but the excitement I get out of what I do definitely outweighs the nervous energy!
“I’ve got tracks lined up and ready for rapid-fire, so again, stay tuned… the next one is closer than you think!”
Stream ‘Cinderella’ by Royal Drue here and keep up with the latest via Royal Drue’s socials.
This article was made in partnership with Royal Drue
