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VESSELS (2016 ALBUM) TRACI -"UTOPIA" [NEW SINGLE]It's a new year which means there will be new talent correct? 2015 proved to be a year that experienced its ups and downs but was still a very eventful year. A year that introduced many new talents, some lovely comebacks and of course the controversy. But we have passed 2015 and with 2016 officially started, we are sure the musicians of today have got plenty of tricks (and music) up their sleeve. One specific artist that we got to know some time ago was Traci. Originally born Traci Grace Elizabeth O'Connor, the New Zealand born musician hasn't had the easiest rode in making it to her big break in music. Care for a trail of the tape? The now 19 year old singer/songwriter grew up in the fast moving streets of Auckland to a poetic mother and a dead beat father who Traci has yet to reconnect with. Growing up in poverty with a mother who provided all that she could with low income didn't make for an easy upbringing for O'Connor either. Traci didn't have all the perks and possessions that many of the other kids in Traci's exhilarating city had, making Traci an easy target of bullying at a very young age. Naturally quirky and odd, her unorthodoxed looks and style gave posh children that attended Traci's grade school plenty of ammo to make fun of someone who didn't fit the mold of other Auckland children.
Admittedly; the weight of being bullied in school and not having a father figure anywhere to be found only sounds like a recipe for disaster for any young girl correct? Luckily, there was one thing keeping Traci upright and rational during those times: Poetry. Her mothers wonderful poems speaking of real life situations only inspired a young Traci to do the same and this soon became a hobby. Traci began writing poetry at the age of 13 years old. Traci writing poetry served as a means to escape the real life of the struggles she faced as a young girl. She had chance to express her frustrations from her heart onto paper and it certainly got her through the rest of her school years. Through her years in grade school Traci also found herself in chorus, where she would often sing at school shows, despite suffering from extensive stage fright. With time, Traci found her herself turning poetry into song writing and soon found that her dream all along was to be a musician. Fast forward three more years and Traci landed her first record deal with major record label.
After being signed to a label Traci was quickly thrown into the fast lane and before you know it, her self penned "Castles" (which spoke about imagining a life in Castles and royalty) was released to the public on July 28th, 2013 with virtually no promotion which comes as no surprise. Traci refused to follow the initial plans the label had for her in terms of image and even musical direction. After Castles failed to light up the charts or make any impact which was a given; Traci was released from her record contract. Soon after, Castles was featured on a popular television show and soon after the record was being covered by many people around the world. With all the coverage, Castles slowly started to rise up the charts and became quite a sleeper hit. Sadly for Traci, due to her not owning any rights to the song she did not recoup any advances or royalties from the songs success. Discouraged from the realization of the darkness of fame, Traci returned home with no true eagerness to give a go at being signed to another record label.
It seemed as if Traci was done with the business all together until she was contacted by well known indie artist Cristina Lake at the end of 2014. Cristina grew a liking to Traci after hearing the record and her heart tugging story as she felt she easily relates. In 2014, Cristina contacted Traci and spoke to her about possibly working together to create new music and to guide Traci as a young protegee under Lake's independent label, Daytime Listening. Traci at first declined Cristina's offering but in 2015, after her 19th birthday, she was ready to give another go at the big time and got back in contact with Cristina Lake to form a partnership. In the second quarter of 2015, Traci secretly entered the studio and began work on her debut album. During this time, she happened to be recording at the same studio as popular production duo The Wolverines and the Wolverines didn't waste anytime in asking her if she'd provide vocals for a track on their album. Surprisingly, Traci accepted and she recorded "Sores" which currently appearance on Breakout, a 2015 album by The Wolverines. With 2015 over, Traci finally feels she is ready to re-introduce herself to the public with a slightly new sound but the same outlook she had when she first debuted. It's about the music and she's ready to spread that message with an album in 2016.
 Artist: Traci
Title: Utopia
Release Date: January 3rd, 2015 (Streaming), December 15th, 2015 (Airplay)
January 3rd, 2015 (Digital)
Length: 4:51
Genre: Indie Rock, Synth
Songwriters: Traci O'Connor, Linz Hearts, Ariel Rechtshaid
Producers: Ariel Rechtshaid, Traci O'Connor
Label: Daytime Listening, Independent
From The Album: Vessels (2016) Track Overview
Utopia is a single by recording artist Traci O'Connor better known by her first name only, Traci. The record is the first single taken from her debut album entitled "Vessels" which will be experiencing a tentative release in 2016. "Utopia" is only the second official single released from Traci and marks her first release since 2013's Castles, which had moderate prominence on social media and charts. Despite Castles's sleeper success, Traci couldn't capitalize much off of the single due to copyright issues and other factors having to due with Traci's former label. After becoming a partner to independent label Daytime Listening, Traci began work on new music for an album. "Utopia" was recorded in September of 2015 with producer Ariel Rechtshaid after O'Connor and Rechtshaid sat in the studio for hours upon hours crafting the initial sound of the record as Traci wanted to live up to expectations from the last song. Utopia itself has an obvious sound reference from two of Traci's biggest influences in David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails, but somehow has a pop melody that refuses any form of candy coating. Traci's vocals are characteristically engaging, and pairs appropriately with the lyrics that challenges stereotypes. On top of that, the chorus is simple yet memorable, but the belting vocals as soon as the guitar driven chorus hits out like a classic anthem and is almost too easy to conceive.
This is one of those type of alternative songs that has every chance of being a mainstream hit, but isn’t shamelessly shooting for it. The song opens up with forceful drums and rebellious guitar riffs but through the ruckus, Traci's vocals drive right through heavy productions her echoey-unique voice finds way. Further more, the pop melody chorus is something to die for as synths, drums and the guitar riffs all behind Traci's proclaiming vocals will definitely be a festival hit as it is perfectly chant-able. Lyrically, Traci along with Linz Hearts, Ariel Rechtshaid penned a track that challenges stereotypes. From the opening lyric of /"From a big town full of fake friends"/. Traci is clearly speaking of Auckland, New Zealand where she grew up. Throughout the rest of the track, Traci gets at societal standards of driving sports cars, being small in size, being judged based on your looks, and fashion. The lyrically rebellious track mixes perfectly with the brash production as Traci makes it clear that she is not a fan of these standards and wants to be her. The sarcastically awesome record lasts for four minutes and twenty seconds before Traci belts out the final chorus and the song rides out.
Traci's Thoughts Wrote this song after I was completely pissed with societal standards. It's just hell of annoying how society wants you to be. Everyone has to be Prim, Proper, Sweet, Clean or you easily won't be accepted by certain people and that's not always me. I get nervous, I'm a clutz, I'm not very pretty, nor am I always proper, I curse. It's pretty fucked up but that's the world we live in. I really wanted to create a track that gives people my outlook on those standard since I've been tormented for being "different" almost my entire life. I'm growing to be proud of who I am and how I am today but not for nothing it shouldn't be that way, we should be able to be who we are without being judged over it and I'm still pissed, I probably always will be! So yeah, I balled up my anger to write a rebellious, but slightly fun record that sarcastically bites back at many of the societal standards that we have to fight every day because the higher ups want it to be a Utopia, and it won't be. Sound wise, it's slightly different from my last record, I wanted to venture off into a new sound since I've been inspired by different types of sounds and music since 2013. I've grown and that will reflect better now that I've got the platform to actually show people what I love writing and singing about, thanks to Cristina Lake. She really inspired me to keep my dream alive and not give up. I think the world will get to know a lot about me this year.
From a big town full of fake friends
Where the last name don’t change and the games never ends
Where everybody drives a Mercedes Benz
And if you don’t you got no hope of fitting in
Where everyone’s like, I’m not insane
I judge you based on your pretty face
No more than a size two
What does this life mean to you Trapped in a bubble, this ain’t the real world
Nobody truly cares how you feel girl
And if you frown, forced to turn it upside down
Cause this should be Utopia; Prim, Proper, Sweet, Clean
Whose gonna be the next Queen?
Thunder crashing, hope your reign won’t fall
Cause this should be
Utopia-a-a-a-a, Utopia-a-a-a-a
Utopia-a-a-a-a, Utopia-a-a-a-a
Uh-huh (x2)Your name better be known in the flashing lights
Make sure you get the numbers
Of all the hot guys
Make sure not to eat half past ten
Cause tomorrow you might binge again
Gotta wear Alexander McQueen
If I don’t then people stare at me
You can’t walk into a thrift shop
When is this madness gonna stop? Trapped in a bubble, this ain’t the real world
Nobody truly cares how you feel girl
And if you frown, forced to turn it upside down
Cause this should be Utopia; Prim, Proper, Sweet, Clean
Whose gonna be the next Queen?
Thunder crashing, hope your reign won’t fall
Cause this should be
Utopia-a-a-a-a, Utopia-a-a-a-a
Utopia-a-a-a-a, Utopia-a-a-a-a
Uh-huh (x2)I can’t see
Everythings is black and white
No grey in between
Can’t border line
Prim, Proper, Sweet, Clean
You wanna be your mothers dream
Married at 18 anyways
This life can’t remain the same Trapped in a bubble, this ain’t the real world
Nobody truly cares how you feel girl
And if you frown, forced to turn it upside down
Cause this should be Utopia; Prim, Proper, Sweet, Clean
Whose gonna be the next Queen?
Thunder crashing, hope your reign won’t fall
Cause this should be
Utopia-a-a-a-a, Utopia-a-a-a-a
Utopia-a-a-a-a, Utopia-a-a-a-a
Utopia-a-a-a-a, Utopia-a-a-a-a
Uh-huh (x2)Sounds like
Edited by user 04 January 2016 16:46:18(UTC)
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