Hawkes’ Bay to Wellington songwriter Danica Bryant releases her intense new single Heart Eyes, combining her emotionally intelligent lyricism with a keen pop sensibility, and a healthy dose of explosive stadium rock. 

Heart Eyes is told through the rose-tinted gaze of teenage girls in love with male celebrities. Bryant explains, “girls grow up surrounded by all these pop culture heartthrobs that we’re meant to swoon over, and we’re supposed to cover our rooms in their posters and devote ourselves to being their perfect girl.”

“Then somehow, when we get emotional about these unattainable men the media presents to us, we become the butt of the joke, and it’s ridiculous how obsessed and overly emotional we are. Heart Eyes is very much a satire on that idea. If you think I’m crazy, I can and will absolutely give you crazy.”

Written by Bryant and produced by Jonny Avery, Heart Eyes sees a notable shift in Bryant’s music towards true high-production pop. The single is the first of two fresh songs to be released this year, which Bryant describes as “the fruit of realizing that pop music can be just as wild and whimsical as me”. It comes hot on the heels of her debut EP, Cider, released in July last year to great critical acclaim.

Renowned for her live performances, Bryant is well-known for supporting Elton John on his 2020 New Zealand ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour. She bears national titles from Play It Strange and Smokefree Rockquest, as well as a songwriting mentorship with Bic Runga, and participated in APRA’s first ever Hawkes’ Bay Songhubs.

Bryant’s “mature cynicism” (Ambient Light), “gritty, sultry vocals” (NZ Musician) and “powerful lyricism” (muzic.net) glisten at the forefront of Heart Eyes. The track is well worth a listen, as the latest exhilirating twist in Danica Bryant’s ever-promising career.

Heart Eyes

© Danica Bryant 2021
Written by Danica Bryant, Mckenzie Comer, Simon Gooding and Jake Murphy
Mixed and produced by Simon Gooding
Mastered by Primal Mastering

Ready To Bite (Explicit)

Written by Danica Bryant, Jonny Avery and Tyler Blythe
Produced and mixed by Jonny Avery
Mastered by Luke Finlay of Primal Mastering
From the EP 'Ego Death'

Ego Death

Hang On Over

Down In Times Square

Birthday Girl

01 Plains Of Venus

Second official single from Danica Bryant's debut EP, 'Cider', out July 31st. EMBARGOED UNTIL JULY 31st.

Dizzy

Sharply bitter yet sickeningly sweet, Danica Bryant is no ordinary songwriter. Born to the fruitful music scene in Napier, New Zealand, her songs cover intense topics such as adolescence, mental health, and young love. “All hard guitar and pain-filled howl” (The Hook NZ), this woman bites back.

Gigging from age twelve, Bryant's career ripened when Smokefree Rockquest awarded Dizzy the National APRA Lyric Award in 2018. The following year, Bryant won Play It Strange’s national 'Who Loves Who' contest, was a finalist in their Lion Foundation Songwriting Competition, and received mentorship from music legend Bic Runga.

After opening for Kiwi legends like Jason Kerrison and Paul Ubana Jones, Bryant was cherry picked to support Elton John on his ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour. The opportunity harvested her debut EP 'Cider' with Tiny Triumph Recordings, as she moved to the big smoke in Wellington, New Zealand. Rounding out the year, Bryant took part in APRA's Songhubs course, writing and producing with major artists such as Matthew Young and Estère. Her 2021 single ‘Heart Eyes’ debuted to immense fanfare with Radio New Zealand and set the stage for successful funding with NZ On Air that September.

“Venomous” yet “passionate” (Ambient Light), “cynical but emotional” (NZ Musician), it is clear Danica Bryant’s inventive sound, personal lyrics, and rich vocals make her a treat for every season.

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