Singer-songwriter Rita Mae shares her perfect weekend playlist.
“Gritty, bold, and to-the-point” is how Tāmaki Makaurau indie darling Rita Mae describes her upcoming project. The singer-songwriter’s second EP, Kiss the Sky, will be released into the world on November 15.
“[Kiss the Sky is] about desire and greed, it’s about ignoring your better judgement in favour of things that make you feel alive,” Mae says. “I called the project Kiss The Sky because that’s what the whole thing is about – trying to hold beautiful things that are completely unattainable, make them yours, the glory and downfall of that endeavour.”
On the weekend, Mae dreams of a morning in her mum’s Muriwai home, perfected with coffee and brunch made with veges from the garden. “[I’d] laze around all day listening to music loudly; continue to attempt sewing and other various crafts (my ultimate procrastination activity that I also think is quite good for my mental health); cuddle my cat; maybe a walk or some tennis or a swim in the ocean with my partner.”
And no weekend is really complete without spending “a very long time getting ready and putting on a LOT of makeup and [being] reliably late to meet up with friends for drinks and go to a gig on Karangahape Rd”. After that it’s time for the classic 2am kebab, and sleep. Funnily enough, Mae reckons the perfect scenario to listen to her music begs for the same atmosphere: “Putting on your makeup. Driving down the motorway at night on your way to the party. Listening LOUD!”
Here are the 10 tracks, from songs that sound like sunshine to crushing odes to crushes, that make Mae’s weekend perfect.
Dora Jar – ‘No Way To Relax When You Are On Fire’
I love Dora Jar and she must be present during my perfect weekend! The shimmering sunset scene of guitars in this song makes me feel so good. It feels like a really good song about a crush, which is one of my favourite things to write about and listen to.
MGMT – ‘Time To Pretend’
This one is pretty obvious – one of the biggest, hugest bangers ever written. Like, do you not feel FILLED WITH HOPE AND EUPHORIA when you listen to it? People are sleeping on the rest of the MGMT discography though: if you haven’t listened to the Little Dark Age album, you gotta. I think they are quite perfect lyricists on top of all the musical epic-ness.
Nelly Furtado – ‘Say It Right’
A healthy dose of nostalgia is very important to me on a daily basis and especially on the weekend. Her voice cuts like a knife. I honestly am not sure what this song is about but I love that because usually I care so much about the lyrics, but all that matters to me in this song is the vibe. The chorus is so perfect and I have no idea what she’s even talking about.
Porches – ‘I Miss That’
The opening line of this song – “I couldn’t believe what I had, so I threw it away” – hit me so hard the first time I heard it. Porches is one of my favourite artists, I love how elusive and yet also straight to the point his words are.
Caroline Polachek – ‘So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings’
I love her, I love her, I love her, I love this song. I’ve never heard being into someone be put that way, so hot you’re hurting my feelings. But that’s just so how it feels! I don’t know, I just love when I hear someone paint a familiar feeling in a whole new light.
Hans Pucket – ‘Kiss The Moon’
Hans Pucket is an incredible NZ band, they’ve soundtracked a lot of special moments in my life since I discovered them a few years ago. I love all the subtleties of this song, the gentle guitars and the multi-singer backing vocals. This song just feels like a brain massage.
The Japanese House – ‘Touching Yourself’
I’ve probably listened to this song about a thousand times. It feels so carefully put together, every word carefully written, every instrument carefully selected and made to sound just write, every note carefully placed. It works, it’s like a perfectly baked cake that I want to eat a thousand of!
Florence + The Machine – ‘Free’
Literally can’t listening to this song without jumping around. It makes me feel like I have magical powers and could make sunshine appear with the sheer will of my mind.
Lana Del Rey – ‘Summertime Sadness’
It would not be a perfectly balanced weekend without some Miss Lana! I love this first album, so dark and dramatic and maybe feels like the most concise project she’s made. She’s just got so much swag and this song makes me feel like I’m a star-crossed lover and my soulmate has just left me forever and I’m crying in a really understated and pretty way.
Wilco – ‘Kamera’
This song is pure nostalgia. I don’t know if I love it so much because I heard it so much as a kid or if it’s really that good, but I’m pretty sure it’s really that good. So simple, so sweet, so pure.