Rose Gray (post-brat dance pop)

Late 20s pop singer, equally parts Becky Hill and brat summer, recently supported the reformed Sugababes on tour and releasing collaborations with Ke$ha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLvatAQlHBI

Ibiza 1998 via London 2012?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yL0mYYN2Ps

signposts to the exact audience who love this stuff in 2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmTpU7OqRNE

euphoric new(ish) single for forthcoming deluxe edition of her debut album Louder Please.

I can hear the Charli XCX and Tove Lo influences clearly on this, and her backstory (slightly older, former Fabric cloakroom attendant, false start in the industry) might suggest a cycnical move towards this kind of big-room dance-pop. But there's also something reminiscent of Dua Lipa and Kylie Minogue in the way it takes the sound of festival dance tents and uses it to become bright, colourful pop music. There's also a similarity to Katy B in the sense that this feels like music that's lived in the clubs - not the VIP sections of holiday resorts but the sweaty urgency of being intoxicated in a small smoky room, even if that room is the high street provincial club instead of the cool futurism of a Corsica Studios.

(inspired to start this thread by seeing her live last night and being completely charmed by her energy, presence and power)

Thanks for starting this thread boxedjoy. I’m super jealous that you’ve seen her live, I’m desperately hoping someone books her to come down here during the antipodean summer (she seems ripe for the Mardi Gras undercard) because all the clips I’ve seen look riotous.

The deluxe tracks have all been great so far and the OG album is a pop slam dunk. “Party People”, “Just Two”, “Switch”, “Free” etc etc all A-grade bangers and have soundtracked my year.

when she came out on stage I made a joke to my pal that she was channeling a Ministry Of Sound mid-00s music video and he pointed out instantly that she was wearing the exact outfit the dancers wear in the video for Michael Gray's "The Weekend." Then later she undid the blouse to reveal a bra-top that was very "Call On Me." I was half-expecting a drill to appear for the full Benny Benassi experience at the end, but I did think it all gave a really big clue to where she's coming from stylistically.

"Party People" is excellent too, I think her breathlessly delirious performance elevates it beyond the Capital FM hetty banger territory.