Perth indie-pop outfit Joan & the Giants unveiled new single “Sleep Alone” yesterday, the second since their debut EP Me & You in 2022. The haunting confession of unrequited love showcases singer Grace Newton-Wordsworth’s velvety vocals over reverberating keys and rumbling drums with muted riffs and jingling tambourine.
“Sleep Alone” began as a country-tinged acoustic ballad before the alt-pop end result, yet the song lost none of its vulnerability in the creative process. Produced by Dylan Ollivierre (Meg Mac, Tia Gostellow, Holy Holy), the band’s latest offering delivers a sad but comforting message that didn’t spare any of the details.
“Sleep Alone is about feeling attached to someone that doesn’t make you feel appreciated or seen,” Grace explains. “You feel like you’re running in circles, cancelling plans, waiting up for a message – all for someone who doesn’t really care. Then when they are there, it can also feel so good it’s suffocating, like it haunts the spaces you live in.”
To celebrate the single, we had Joan & the Giants share their top five tips for a good night’s sleep with us.
“To be honest, sleeping is not my strong suit haha! I am not a great sleeper, but I’ve found a few helpful little tips this year. I went through a lot of heartbreak in the first few months of 2023, and these are some things that helped with life and SLEEP.”
Tip 1: Putting down that phone
Something I get caught up in so easily, as many of us do, is the world of the screen! It’s so easy to go on your phone for five mins, and suddenly it’s 2am and you’ve watched two hours of cat videos on TikTok. I am trying to make it a nightly routine to put the phone down and read or just have a cuppa and relax without technology (crazy, right??).
Tip 2: Having a hot shower or bath before bed
It’s so nice in winter to go to bed cosy and sleepy after a hot shower or bath. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment with no air conditioning and the hot water only lasts two minutes (life of an artist), so I have a hot shower for that two-three mins and then run into bed as it’s been FREEZing this winter… this gets me all snuggly and sleepy.
Tip 3: CANDLES!
There’s something magical about lighting a scented candle and watching it burn for a few minutes. It’s almost a meditation in itself and it makes me super calm, and there’s something about fire that I find incredibly romantic and heartwarming (I swear I’m not an arsonist, it’s just a candle!) – it also smells like a slice of apple pie and that’s delicious. I do have a cat, so the candle must be watched and in a place out of reach of paws at all times!
Tip 4: Get a cat!
My cat has honestly changed my life… I thought I was allergic before getting Cheeto, but we decided we just had to adopt a rescue cat from Cat Haven and it’s the best decision we’ve ever made. He’s a bit cheeky, but he gives the best cuddles and also loves listening to music (which is helpful as we’re musicians). It’s a nightly routine to jump into bed with lots of cat cuddles and then get woken up at 4am for feeding time haaa…
Tip 5: Comfort Show
When I can’t sleep or I need to zone out of the stresses of life, I always turn to my comfort shows. For me, it’s going to be Friends, Modern Family or Broad City as I love the characters so much – they actually feel like my family, which might be too far. I don’t think it’s too far, right??? These shows just take me away from my own worries and let my brain relax.
In support of the release, the band is hitting the road for their first ever headline run this month on a whopping 13-date tour. Stopping at Newcastle, Perth and everywhere in between, you can get your tickets to the Cool Kid // Sleep Alone Tour HERE.
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