Fazerdaze

New Zealand singer-songwriter

Fazerdaze
Murray performing in Singapore at the Trifecta Music Festival in 2023
Murray performing in Singapore at the Trifecta Music Festival in 2023
Background information
Birth nameAmelia Rahayu Murray
Born (1993-01-19) January 19, 1993 (age 31)[1]
Wellington, New Zealand
GenresDream pop, shoegaze, indie pop, indie rock
Years active2014–2017, 2022–present
LabelsFlying Nun Records, section1
Websitefazerdaze.bandcamp.com
Musical artist
Murray performing at a live concert in France in May 2017

Amelia Rahayu Murray, better known under her stage name Fazerdaze, is a New Zealand singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist.[2] Murray is known for creating music that blends dreamy pop elements with grungy shoegaze influences. She released her debut self-titled EP in October 2014, recording it entirely in her bedroom studio in Auckland. Her first full-length album, Morningside, was released to critical acclaim in 2017 after the lead single "Lucky Girl" became a surprise hit.[3] Following a period of burnout and personal challenges, she took a five-year break from music and returned in late 2022 with the EP Break!.[4]

Early years

Murray was born in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, to an English-born New Zealander father and an Indonesian mother.[5] She started playing music at the age of 13 when she began playing her father's guitar. During her time at Onslow College, a Wellington high school with a vibrant music scene, she formed her own band called The Tangle. The band eventually disbanded upon the conclusion of high school.[6]

After high school, Murray made the decision to pursue music as her career and moved to Auckland to study music. Her first full-length studio album, Morningside, was named after the Auckland neighborhood of the same name where she relocated to.[7]

Biography

Fazerdaze released her self-titled debut EP in 2014.[8] With the help of multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Pearce, who mastered the release, she created a dream-pop sound, using electric guitars and effect pedals.[9]

In 2017, Murray released her first full-length album as Fazerdaze, called Morningside. Morningside was a surprise hit, with the song "Lucky Girl" in particular being a success.[10][11][12] The song's music video, which was shot on film with a 16mm Bolex camera and edited by Murray herself, got over 20 million views on YouTube.[13]

Murray suffered burnout after the success of Morningside and encountered problems with unhealthy personal relationships. After taking a five-year hiatus from music, she returned with another EP, Break!, in late 2022. Murray stated that her hiatus has been instrumental in helping her return to music, and she ended up finishing the EP during a three-month long lockdown in New Zealand.[4] Musically, Break! is quite different from her previous work and includes elements of dance pop and electronica. Murray has stated that she drew inspiration from 90s bands like Blur and Nirvana.[14]

In early 2023, Fazerdaze released "Flood Into" as a standalone single, which had previously been available exclusively on the vinyl version of Break!. [15][16] The track, described as shoegaze, delves into themes of deep love and loss.[15] Murray wrote it when she was anticipating a break-up from a long-term romantic relationship.[15] Later that year, in September, she followed up with the single "Bigger," a synth-infused alt-rock song that explores themes of personal growth. "Bigger" reflects her journey into womanhood and the pressures of navigating life as a musician.[17][18][19]

On 10 September 2024, Murray announced the release of Fazerdaze's sophomore album, Soft Power. Along with the announcement, she released "Cherry Pie", the second single from the album.[20]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
NZ[21]
Morningside 23
Soft Power

Extended plays

Title Album details Peak chart positions
NZ[23]
Fazerdaze EP —
Break! 24

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Album

[22][26]

NZ
"Little Uneasy" 2015 — Morningside
"Lucky Girl" 2017 —
"Take It Slow" —
"Come Apart" 2022 — Break!
"Break!" —
"Flood Into" 2023 —
"Bigger"[18] —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

  1. ^ "Fazerdaze - Break! Live Chat AMA". YouTube. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  2. ^ "FAZERDAZE LIMITED | New Zealand Business Directory".
  3. ^ Stubbs, Warwick (5 May 2017). "Fazerdaze - Morningside - Albums - Reviews - Soundblab". Soundblab. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b Lochrie, Connor (14 October 2022). "Fazerdaze Releases Long-Awaited EP 'Break!'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  5. ^ "FAZERDAZE Interview- growing up in New Zealand, self confidence, music video". YouTube - SIDEWALK TALK EDM Interview. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  6. ^ Adriana (23 July 2015). "Introducing: Fazerdaze". HVNGRY. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  7. ^ Fazerdaze - The Morningside Interview | DIFFUS, 4 May 2017, retrieved 9 May 2023
  8. ^ "Fazerdaze EP, by Fazerdaze". Fazerdaze. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Fazerdaze - Fazerdaze EP". Discogs. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  10. ^ Renshaw, David (12 April 2017). "Fazerdaze's Morningside Is A Coming Of Age Album For Introverts". The Fader. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  11. ^ Glickman, David. "Fazerdaze: Morningside". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  12. ^ Schulz, Chris (8 July 2015). "Fazerdaze quietly sneaks out of her bedroom with debut album Morningside". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  13. ^ "Shoegazing || Fazerdaze | Indie Music Plus Amino".
  14. ^ "Break! by Fazerdaze". Bandcamp. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  15. ^ a b c Moir, Tammy (10 March 2023). "Fazerdaze releases 'Flood Into' a journey of love, loss and personal reclamation". Happy Mag. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  16. ^ Lochrie, Conor (9 March 2023). "Fazerdaze Recognises Lost Love on Shoegaze Anthem 'Flood Into'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  17. ^ Carter, Daisy (2 November 2023). "Fazerdaze: "I feel a lot less worried about what people think now"". DIY. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  18. ^ a b Lochrie, Conor (14 September 2023). "Fazerdaze Deftly Explores the Pressures of Being a Musician on 'Bigger'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  19. ^ Kendall, Arun (13 September 2023). "Track: Everything is 'Bigger' for Fazerdaze as she releases ethereal new single ahead of Australian and European tour". Backseat Mafia. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  20. ^ Lochrie, Conor (10 September 2024). "Fazerdaze Announces Long-Awaited Second Album 'Soft Power'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  21. ^ "charts.org.nz - Fazerdaze - Morningside". charts.nz. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  22. ^ a b c "Fazerdaze - Morningside". Flying Nun. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Official Top 40 Albums 24 October 2022". The Official NZ Music Charts. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  24. ^ "Fazerdaze EP, by Fazerdaze". Fazerdaze. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Fazerdaze - Break! EP". Flying Nun Australia. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  26. ^ a b Store, Partisan Records, Fazerdaze - Break!. Partisan Records Store., retrieved 9 May 2023
  • Official website
  • Flying Nun Records - Fazerdaze
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
International
  • VIAF
  • WorldCat
National
  • United States
    • 2
Artists
  • MusicBrainz