Newcastle’s Ruth Lyon unpacks perfectionism’s dark side on mesmerising new single 'Perfect'
Debut album 'Poems & Non-Fiction' produced by John Parish (Aldous Harding, PJ Harvey) - out 13th June
Watch video for 'Perfect' HERE
Record store shows announced for June in Newcastle, Leeds, London, Bristol and Nottingham |
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Photo credit: Sel Maclean
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(7th May) Newcastle indie-folk singer-songwriter Ruth Lyon today releases her new single ‘Perfect’. Released today alongside a new video directed by Sel Maclean, 'Perfect' is the latest compelling glimpse of Lyon's forthcoming debut album 'Poems & Non-Fiction' - out 13th June on Pink Lane Records and available to pre-order here. The track follows earlier singles ‘Books’ and ‘Wickerman’.
Produced by John Parish (PJ Harvey, Aldous Harding), 'Poems & Non-Fiction' draws on influences from Adrienne Lenker, Fiona Apple, and Moondog, combining analogue textures and angular indie-folk sensibilities. Lyon’s songwriting gives as much weight to silence as to sound, with poetic nuance and muscular understatement. Her voice floats between the abstract, the archetypal, and raw vulnerability, inviting the listener to both reach out and dig deep.
New single ‘Perfect’ is the album’s most pop-adjacent moment: a sharp indie-pop that critiques the cult of curated living. The sardonic hook: “Isn’t it all so perfect / Sundays were made for worship”, sits uneasily against Lyon’s deadpan admission: “my skin is crawling / I want to shout.” As the production closes in during the middle eight, her voice sounds buried beneath the surface: “I can’t leave.”
On the release of 'Perfect', Ruth said:
“It’s about how modern life traps us in a toxic pursuit of perfection – we’re all celebrities of our own life, worshipping at the altar of our egos. It’s kind of infected us all, I think. The perfect mother, the perfect wife, the perfect health and a perfect body flaunting perfect hair/skin/tits/bum blah blah blah.”
Weaving deeply evocative narratives and potent meditations, with an artistry that balances delicacy and strength, 'Poems & Non-Fiction' is a major waymark for Ruth Lyon. Forged by her experiences as a disabled woman and a life-long sense of otherness, she explores the beautiful mess of existence, challenges social norms and ignites a journey towards self-acceptance, empowerment and perhaps most importantly, hope. “I have surprised myself with the raw honesty in these songs and I hope these stories inspire healing and growth,” Ruth says.
Fresh from an extensive European touring run with Zaho de Sagazan, along with a triumphant headline tour of her own in March of this year, Lyon’s recent accolades also include performances at SXSW, The Great Escape, Glastonbury, and New York City Hall, where she received the prestigious Danny Award. She was recently named one of the UK’s 100 most influential disabled people on the Power 100 list and awarded the flagship PPL Momentum Grant.
Acclaim for Lyon’s recent releases has come from all corners of UK music press and radio. BBC 6 Music’s Emily Pilbeam praised her “beautiful and quite distinctive voice… it’s got a bit of a Kate Bush vibe… genuinely a really brilliant track,” while Wonderland called her “a force to be reckoned with.” She’s been championed as a “Future Artist” by BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders, and spotlighted by CLASH Magazine, The Line of Best Fit, Consequence, and Secret Meeting, who wrote: “Lyon is a fitting star for a city that shines brighter than most.”
With 'Poems & Non-Fiction', she cements her place as one of the most distinct and fearless voices in contemporary music.
Ruth Lyon's debut album 'Poems & Non-Fiction' is out 13th June on Pink Lane Records. Ruth Lyon embarks on an in-store tour in June to mark the release of the album. New single 'Perfect' is out now.
LIVE DATES
May
24 HowTheLightGetsIn Festival, Hay
June
18 Reflex, Newcastle (In-store)
19 Crash, Leeds (In-store)
20 Rough Trade Denmark Street, London (In-store)
21 Rough Trade Bristol, Bristol (In-store)
22 Rough Trade Nottingham, Nottingham (In-store)
July
26 Lazy Days Festival, Southend
27 BEAM Folk Week, Hertford
August
24 Foolhardy Folk Festival, Nottingham
30 Smugglers Festival, Deal
November
13 Blue Shell, Cologne (DE)
16 Nochtwache, Hamburg (DE)
17 Prachtwerk, Berlin (DE)
19 Tivoli Vrendenburg (Club Nine), Utrecht (NL)
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'Poems & Non-Fiction' - album artwork & track list
1. Artist
2. Wickerman
3. Books
4. Perfect
5. Hill
6. Confetti
7. Caesar
8. November
9. Cover
10. Weather
11. Seasons
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More about Ruth Lyon
Newcastle singer-songwriter Ruth Lyon has released two EPs to date, her 2021 debut 'Nothing's Perfect' and 2022's 'Direct Debit To Vogue' - the latter produced by John Parish, drawing praise and ardent support from The Independent, Consequence, The Line of Best Fit, Wonderland Magazine, NARC Magazine and more.
2022 saw Ruth Lyon make her debut appearance at SXSW, performing at the British Music Embassy showcase alongside Self Esteem and Walt Disco - with further notable festival appearances at Latitude, The Great Escape and Secret Garden Party.
Known for her work as a key and active member of the Newcastle music scene, Ruth Lyon is also an ardent advocate for the Disabled community through her work as an ambassador for Attitude Is Everything - a charity that aims to improve accessibility for Deaf and Disabled people in live music; Lyon herself has been a wheelchair user since the age of 21. |
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