Today’s Video of the Day is Rita Mae‘s premiere of her grungy new single ‘Kiss The Sky’.

Aotearoa’s rising indie artist Rita Mae has returned with her first single of 2024, the unapologetically anthemic new single and video ‘Kiss The Sky’, co-written with The Naked and Famous’ award-winning artist Alisa Xayalith.

Oscillating between chill, acoustic verses and full noise, grungy, stadium-ready choruses, ‘Kiss The Sky’ sonically mirrors its lyrical meaning, being a “greedy, indulgent song about wanting everything and being unapologetic about it.”

“I used to feel guilty for being ambitious, for wanting too much, like I needed to dream smaller and be practical,” says Rita. “This song was extremely liberating to write, because I ask for the impossible, I scream it at the top of my lungs, and while I sing those lyrics it somehow doesn’t seem quite so crazy.”

Written and recorded in Alisa Xayalith’s home studio in LA with Harry Charles on production, ‘Kiss The Sky’ came together in a burst of inspiration. “It was an amazing song to write; one of those magical days where the song just pours out of you and it all makes sense straight away,” Rita explains. “It basically wrote itself.”

Also out today is the accompanying video, directed by Oscar Keys. Filmed at a studio in Auckland, the visuals capture a villainous energy, with Rita’s character hungry for love and power. However instead of earning it truthfully, she gets it through brainwashing her victims.

“It was incredibly fun to make, and also high energy and exhausting,” says Rita. “A very dear friend organised the dancers and choreography; which was fairly doable in rehearsal – and then suddenly much more difficult under bright flashing lights with contact lenses in! My main stress of the day was not forgetting my dance moves and trying to not sweat off all my makeup.”

Rita Mae has been making waves in Aotearoa’s alt-indie scene since she started releasing songs like the stirring ‘The Secret’s Out’ in 2021 and then the effortlessly cool ‘Candy’s House’ in 2021. In 2023 she unveiled her EP SUPERFEELING DELUXE, which featured ‘Candy’s House (Comedown Song)’. The single was featured on the likes of Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Sniffers, Coup de Main, ZM and The Edge.

In 2023, Rolling Stone AU/NZ magazine tipped her as “one of eight Kiwis artists tipped to take over”, saying “Music is in her DNA, and Mae’s future as an artist in her own right looks very bright indeed…”

With Rita describing today’s release as her “entering a new era”, ‘Kiss The Sky’ gives a taste of what’s to come this year from this quickly rising songwriter and artist. Get ready for more to come!

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