Australian Singer-Songwriter Woodes Delivers Her Signature Anthemic Pop On Bold New Single “War Cry”

Australian singer-songwriter Woodes dives deeper into the cinematic world of her forthcoming EP Hibernation, delivering a rallying cry for the women around her on bold new single “War Cry”. You can listen to the track here.

Following on from her percussive-driven anthem “Don’t Look Back”, “War Cry” stands tall as a call-to-arms for women, celebrating their power and driving them forward, while coming together to stand up in the face of abuse of all kinds.

On the track, Woodes says, “I’ve had discussions with women where my songs have become their anthems, it’s truly one of the most special connections I’ve experienced, knowing my music could be heard in that way. ‘War Cry’ was taking that and putting way more logs on top of the fire. I’d just watched a television show called ‘Maid’ and saw some of my own experiences and some of my friends’ experiences reflected back.

“Abuse doesn’t have to be physical; it can be verbal, subtle manipulation, and bending the truth. Unfortunately, so many of my friends share experiences like this. When I was writing it, I’d play cinematic trailers on the walls of the studio – horses, battles, angels, magic, the making of worlds and the depths of forests. I put myself in the centre of it all.”

“War Cry” is the second taste of Woodes’ forthcoming EP Hibernation. Due out on Friday 13 October, the record sees Elle Graham, the artist behind Woodes, embrace and amplify the immersive, cinematic side of her artistry – balancing dark vivid melodies and sharp, gritty production alongside the lush, spellbinding, hypnotic soundscapes of her recent EP Kingdom Come, released in June. Fans will be able to hear the new songs live with the announcement of Australian tour dates in Melbourne and Sydney this November. 

Hibernation is the emergence of a new era of Woodes. The EP invites fans back to her unique world for her most cinematic work yet. “I’ve been living and writing between Los Angeles and Australia this year and have been really inspired in my writing by the cinematic world that has been building since I’ve made the big leap to come over here,” Elle says. “I’ve always enjoyed film and game music and wanted to continue to find ways to fuse my favourite things into my songs. I got so excited by what I was making, it felt right to start to share it. This feels like a new adventure, that is dense and brave and filled with strings and brass and choirs.”

ABOUT WOODES

Woodes has consistently engaged, entranced, and enraptured listeners as a pop enigma. She made her presence known with the independent self-titled debut EP, Woodes, in 2016. She joined forces with Set Mo for the smash “I Belong Here,” which picked up a platinum certification in Australia. 2018’s Golden Hour EP dominated triple j with “Dots” and “Run For It.” Woodes leveled up again on Crystal Ball in 2020. It not only bowed at #3 on the Australian Independent Albums Chart, but NME rated it “4-out-of-5 stars” and hailed it as “a powerfully intimate record that tackles both life and fantasy with fierce resolve.” As a powerhouse performer, she graced the stages of Splendour in the Grass and SXSW in addition to touring with Thelma Plum, Asgier, and Sylvan Esso. Nodding to her modeling work for Chanel, David Jones, and Myer, she has built a world of her own rooted in her otherworldly costume design, elite presentation, and arresting aesthetic.  

During the Pandemic, her personal life flipped upside down. She found herself at the end of a long relationship, so she departed Melbourne for Brisbane where she collaborated in the studio with friend Danny Harley (The Kite String Tangle).