Revulva Release Anti-Capitalist Anthem ‘Heroin Chic’

30 August 2024

Today (August 30) Aotearoa band Revulva release ‘Heroin chic’ an anti-capitalist anthem, and the third single from their forthcoming album. 

‘Heroin Chic' is a bold commentary on the relentless pressures faced by artists in today’s hyper-competitive music industry. Inspired by the glorified gaunt, malnourished, and overworked appearance, the track delves into the dark side of the relentless pursuit of success. In an era where the line between personal and professional life blurs, and social media perpetuates a face of endless productivity, ‘Heroin Chic’ exposes the unhealthy glorification of burnout. 

'Heroin chic’ is the third single from Revulva’s self-titled album releasing in October (pre save link here) with limited edition crowd-funded vinyl pressings from Holiday Records. (Crowdfunding link here)

“This song is about the nuance of working too hard, then liking it, but feeling angry that you want it - because most likely, you’ve been manipulated into that” shares an impassioned  Phoebe Johnson, Revulva’s composer and lyricist. “I felt myself celebrating it too - feeling like the more I took on, and the more exhausted I was by it, the better. I feel disappointed by what social media has done for music creation.We see the highlight reels of people’s personal and creative lives, but don’t see how hard constant work and creation can be on your mind and body."

‘Heroin chic’ is based on the early 90’s runway fashion trend of the same name - the celebration of being gaunt, pale, and overworked in retaliation to opposite trends from the 1980s. 

The ‘Heroin chic’ music video was co-directed by Phoebe Johnson and her partner Daniel Kingston, the third directorial video for the pair.  “The concept  is a fever dream show-timey ‘gig gone wrong’ ”share Johnson and Kingston. “In this dream, the audience is at first obsessed, enamoured, and very into it. Then, without any reason at all, they are bored and unreceptive. The band begins to fight back and a riot ensues during a raging solo by the Revulva’s lead horn player - Toby Leman.” The video was shot in Wellington’s Hannah Playhouse, and features an audience of Revulva’s friends and whānau. 

Revulva are an eight-piece femme-fronted progressive soul/ funk band from Te-Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington. The band consists of New Zealand’s finest musicians including Phoebe Johnson (Ebony Lamb, Dateline, HEAVY CHEST), Lily Rose Shaw (The Teskey Brothers, The Gallery, OdESSA), Tobias Leman (Hummucide, The Gallery, Earl Green), Hector McLachlan (The Teskey Brothers, Rachel Andie), Kaito Walley (Bret McKenzie, TOI, L.A.B), Lennox Grootjans (Hummucide, Arjuna Oakes, Len Blake), Mysty Cooke (Exploding Rainbow Orchestra, Esbee, Richter City Rebels), and Zane Hawkins (Hummucide, Len Blake, Tusekah) and is always bursting with heart, snarky remarks, sexuality, burning improvised solos, feminist ethos, and a punk attitude. 

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