merci, mercy shares her sophomore EP is it me, or is it you?. Known for her candid storytelling, merci, mercy chronicles her struggles with mental health and addiction through vulnerable lyricism that’s set to infectious alt-pop beats. She worked closely with the project’s producers Chris Collins (Azure Ryder, Middle Kids, Gang of Youths) and Dave Hammer (Genesis Owusu, Montaigne, Lime Cordiale) to create the EP’s vivid sonic palette.
TOUR DATES
October 8th – Sydney, NSW @ Waywards
October 14th – Melbourne, VIC @ Workers Club
October 15th – Sydney, NSW @ Someday Soon Festival
December 30th – Barunah Plains, VIC @ Beyond The Valley
merci, mercy says of the EP’s origins, “The name is it me, or is it you? is an evaluation of who really is the cause of the situation. Is someone else the reason for my struggles or is it just all on me? The themes heavily revolve around my mental health and the impacts it has on me and others around me.”
In the EP’s focus track ‘Too Easy,’ merci, mercy realizes that she doesn’t want to settle for a no-strings-attached fling- that would be too easy. A wide synth drones as she begins, “Maybe I should just let go / And take somebody home / So I can fuck it up with you,” an act of self-sabotage soon revealed to be self-preservation when she continues, “Too many reasons / To stay or go / But I like me better / When on my own.” merci, mercy wants to indulge in the illusion of this nonchalant non-relationship, but deep down, she craves the nuance of being in love.
“I was really particular in the order of the track listing. I needed it to tell the story,” says merci, mercy of the EP’s chronology. This means kicking off with ‘Into You,’ which jumpstarts the project with an earnest beat and sunny guitar line. At this starting point, merci, mercy decides that “it’s simply not my fault as to why things in my life are not quite working out.” Sugarcoated with buoyant production, ‘Into You’ lingers on the frustration behind leaving someone when they don’t just magically change into the ideal partner (because as the EP title questions, in ‘Into You,’ it’s not you, it’s them).
Bass commands the infectious retro groove of ‘Winnie Crush.’ In the first single off of is it me, or is it you?, merci, mercy allows herself to fall victim to her vices in order to hide the fact that she’s “freezing and begging for love” she “can’t afford.” She explains that this track marks the beginning of “a journey through how my mental health affects my relationships with substances and the people I love.”
This theme is approached from a new angle- within the walls of a party bathroom- in the EP’s second release, ‘Sick To My Stomach.’ The track, unlike its dizzied main character, strikes a balance between piano-accompanied verses and a reverby synth-loaded chorus. merci, mercy snaps into focus in the sobering bridge, “If I ask for help / Will it mean that I’m unwell?” but loses focus as her vocals become distant and distorted, fading back into the party.
“It begins to get hopeful when ‘Black Cloud’ comes around because it’s a glimmer of hope amongst all the mess,” she says of the single release. ‘Black Cloud’ is a wake up call doused in satisfying vocoder harmonies set to a punchy electronic beat. merci, mercy reflects, “I’m too far into this / Don’t think I would forgive myself / If I ended it / it would be a tragedy,” and finds reassurance from a chorus repeating back that yes, it would be a tragedy to end things. The self-assured anthem recognizes that sometimes, you have no other option than to push forward, even when you’re confined to your own ‘Black Cloud.’
“The last song ‘Uneasy’ [is] the perfect final song because it’s not hidden by poppy charm, it’s just raw,” says merci of the standout song. In this gutting call back to earlier track ‘Too Easy,’ merci, mercy conveys heartbreaking vulnerability with masterful lyricism. “Why can’t you just leave me in hell / Watching others whisper my tells / And I yell cause I’m just too afraid / To embrace the things that have changed,” she pleads with honesty that cuts like a knife. “‘Uneasy’ explains how awful it truly is suffering from mental health and how it can rip you apart…to the point where you lose everything that used to make you beautiful,” merci, mercy says of the closing number. Despite her frustrations, there’s a hopefulness in the track’s willing admission.