Gemma Rogers is a London-based indie pop artist. Rogers’ lyrics combine the mundane with the apocalyptic: ‘New day’s dawning, Grandpa’s snoring, last night’s embers on tv’. They range between apathy – ‘turn the pages, nothing changes’ – despair – ‘doctor doctor help me please’ – and some sort of nihilistic hope’. But delivered in casually sweet vocals and playful melodies, it retains a dreamy, breezy spirit and doesn’t get heavy.
The instrumentation centres around a skanking guitar, lending the ska influence, and laid-back beats. A moody bass keeps things chugging, alongside synths that swoop and chime and give the track personality. Fans of Lily Allen-style Brit pop will enjoy this, along with any fans of revolutionary lyrics or ska. There’s even a pleasingly nightmarish music video, that flickers through warping images of everything from bread to butterflies. The new world order is definitely memorable”.
Last month, Gemma released ‘Stop’, the first of two singles that precede debut album ‘No Place Like Home’. The up-tempo track is a collaboration with Alfie Jackson and Sean Genockey, and speaks to the invasive and personal nature of social media with a call to pause, look around and explore the possibilities of the tangible world at our feet. From the minimalist motorik riff that propels the tune, to the unexpected summer smash allure of the chorus, ‘Stop’ is as infectious as it is thought-provoking.
It was followed by the single ‘My Idea of Fun’ set to be released alongside the album in July. Written to accompany a David Shillinglaw exhibition in Hoxton, Gemma penned the lyrics whilst nursing a broken heart and staying at a friend’s in Brighton. Her brother, Nick, came up with the guitar riff and Arlen Figgis remixed it, bringing in DJ Fast from the Fun Lovin’ Criminals to play melodica and additional keys. Brimming with raw humour ‘My Idea of Fun’ is a colloquial commentary on the trials of drinking in the afternoon. Gemma’s effortless vocal delivery is matched by her lyrical prowess resulting in a masterful piece of musical comedy.
Her latest offering is ‘New World Order’, a deceptively light-hearted ode to dystopia and revolution with wry lyrics and a ska influence. Right Chord Music asked what the sound of a revolution would be. At a time when more artists should be discussing something deeper, many still focus on the personal: “What is the soundtrack of the revolution? Is it stirring patriotic songs, people waving flags a la Les Mis? Is it crashing guitars and sneering resistance to the establishment, as we see in punk? Or is it dreamy indie-pop with a ska edge? That’s the interpretation Gemma Rogers has gone for, anyway, and it’s no less valid for it.
