Birmingham-based artist and producer Rookes has captured the imagination of listeners and tastemakers alike with her own original style of alternative pop music. Since releasing her debut EP with The Game and the River, followed up by sophomore EP Liminal, she’s been a rising talent in the UK pop music scene and beyond.
When the pandemic struck she hid away in her studio and worked on her artistic vision with unrivalled enthusiasm and determination. Dropping various remixes of her tracks and collaborating with other artists such as CRISP&CLASSY remotely, she began to piece together the material that would form her debut album POPNOTPOP.
Having won the coveted MPG Scholarship and a Help Musicians “Do It Differently” grant, Rookes was able to fund her most ambitious project to date and now brings us the ten-track record. Featuring the two leading singles with “Paint” and “Consent” as well as the brand new single and album opener “Sweat”, on POPNOTPOP Rookes makes her most compelling artistic statement to date.
Crafted over a period of almost three years, with her debut album the artist delivers a shimmering journey that explores the realms of the electronic pop world. Linking up with Portuguese alternative pop Eurovision contender mema. on “Pervertere” and London-based artist Austel on “Tiptoe”, Rookes shares a truly captivating release full of memorable moments.
Confirming the hype around the UK sensation, POPNOTPOP is an exquisite and groundbreaking reduction of catchy experimental pop music wrapped up in flawless production and capped by her riveting vocal work. Commenting on the album, Rookes shares, “I have packed a lot in. I’m singing about kink, misogyny, domestic violence, being in love with poor mental health, isolation, escape, societal wealth and queer sex. It’s not an exhaustive list, but a range of my experiences. In an age of avatars, I want people to start getting to grips again with the artist as a multifaceted being, not just a symbol.”
Listen to POPNOTPOP below
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