Flower Face Signs to Nettwerk, Shares New Song + Video “Cornflower Blue”
October 29, 2021 BY Nettwerk
“…builds tension through rising crescendos that show both her use of artistic restraint and her ability to create cinematic climaxes…” –Alt-Press
Today, Nettwerk Records is excited to announce the signing of Flower Face, the moniker of melancholic, multi-hyphenate artist Ruby McKinnon. She debuts her mesmerizing brand of indie-folk with the dreamy new single “Cornflower Blue.” The track is out today via digital retailers (here).
The wheezing introduction along with McKinnon’s starry-eyed vocals give way to a darker, brooding sound that reflects on “loving to the point of exhaustion.” The “Cornflower Blue” music video is a shimmering dance of love and loss. Dark visuals of purple hues compliment the haunting melodies as we cut between lovers in the throes of romance and a dejected Ruby with tear-stained cheeks, crooning to an unknown caller on the phone.
WATCH “CORNFLOWER BLUE” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO:
Ruby McKinnon creates melancholic folk music with a bedroom pop heart under the moniker Flower Face. Taking inspiration from her own vertiginous life experiences, alongside such varied sources as Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events, Jesus Christ Superstar, the oeuvre of Mads Mikkelsen and her dog Ziggy, Flower Face’s musical testimonials recall the jagged emotion of Bright Eyes while conjuring the ethereal ecstasy of a fresh wound.
Classically trained in piano since the age of 5, McKinnon began writing her own music at 14. Encouraged by her music-obsessed parents, she formed Flower Face in true D.I.Y. style: recording her independent debut, Fever Dreams, almost exclusively on her dad’s GarageBand app. Teeming with acoustic heartbreak hymns, it didn’t take long for the album to find space on bedroom playlists alongside The National, Daughter, Big Thief, and Mazzy Star.
In 2018, McKinnon expanded her sound, hooking up with producer and long-time family friend Joshua Kaiser for her breakthrough sophomore release, Baby Teeth. Featuring an increasingly evocative sonic palette and deeper thematic constructs, the album dealt with, among other things, McKinnon’s own battle with stage three ovarian cancer at the age of 17.
Thinking back on her diagnosis, McKinnon says it was her “close brush with the grim reaper” that ultimately made her realize she needed to pursue a career in music.
“It felt like everyone knew me before I had a chance to introduce myself. I was the ‘cancer kid’ at school, and these intimate details of my life became the basis for staff meetings and class discussions and fundraising campaigns. I was so out of it at the time that I didn’t realize how that aspect of it might affect me. But once I left high school and started meeting new people, it became clear how much that experience had damaged my sense of privacy and dignity. It felt important, even urgent, that I tell my own story,” She recalls. “As my reach has grown, sharing my story on my own terms has become such a powerful thing. And it has inspired others to share their stories with me in return.”
“In a way, I’m lucky that I was given this newfound sense of purpose and belief in my ability to build a life that I’d love,” she adds. “I don’t want that part of my life to define me, and I don’t want to be the poster child for anything, but it undoubtedly propelled me forward and gave me such depth of experience to draw from when I write.”
It was this “sense of purpose” that drove McKinnon to pursue music even more seriously, even using her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree to use, designing all the album artwork and conceptualizing her music videos. Her DIY spirit resonated with fans online, as she built a loyal following excited to follow her on the journey.
Stay tuned for more news from Flower Face.
