Merpire fashions soundscapes of macabre dream-pop that explore the fluidity of life, death, relationships and the human condition. The brainchild of singer songwriter Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt, Merpire’s honest and captivating refrains have piqued the interests of industry professionals aplenty since winning the Telstra Road to Discovery in 2015.

From the scaffolds of her acoustic beginnings Merpire has developed an established sound of eerie synths, cinematic flourishes, haunting melodies and beautifully written, chilling vocals. Working closely with musician and producer Andy Bull, her anticipated 2017 single ‘Holding Breath’ flew to the number one spot on the triple j unearthed pop chart and #10 on their overall charts as well as being added to rotation on the national digital broadcaster and Sydney’s FBi Radio.

In 2017 Merpire landed the opening slot supporting Ainslie Wills on her July tour and relocated south from her hometown of Sydney shortly after. The now Melbourne based musician is gearing up to release her forthcoming EP ‘Endless Chatter’ in mid 2018.

Recorded at Golden Retriever studios in Marrickville with Simon Berkelman as engineer, ‘Endless Chatter’ features notable performances from Andy Bull on synth/keys, Luke Davison (The Preatures) on drums, and Alex Bennison (Andy Bull, Jack River, Megan Washington) on guitar/bass and production.

Backed by a new all-female lineup, a Merpire live show is as captivating as it is dream-inducing, with Rhiannon’s disarming vocals holding you in a perpetual dream-state whilst shifting from ukulele toting to guitar plucking amidst unabashed storytelling and banter.

With ‘Invitation’ set for release in April and the EP on the horizon, 2018 is sure to propel Merpire from a humble one-to-watch to a destined rising talent.

Stay tuned.