Gretty Ray’s “Duology One” Tells Two Sides Of Her Story
Gretta Ray - Photography by Jordan Drysdale
“When you think like you dream, nothing’s an impossibility,” sings Gretta Ray on her latest single “Bigger Than Me.” The Melbourne-based artist, whose dreamy thinking has led her to tap into the kind of storytelling pop music needs today, has never settled for the minimum. Her brand new, “Bigger Than Me / Readymade (Duology One)” comes as a dual release, one where both songs released as a pair tell the same story from a different perspective. There has been nothing more signature than this for Gretta Ray because for her, it’s always been about the telling of a story.
“The term “duology” is usually just for books, which is why I chose to use it [because]my stories are the things that are at the forefront,” explains Ray to Happy Mag. After her creative team noticed the singer-songwriter was writing songs in pairs and duos, often from two different perspectives, Ray embraced the idea that creating songs as if they were two sides of the same coin was the way into her next chapter.
On “Bigger Than Me,” the artist opens up about the thrilling adrenaline that can come from taking a leap of faith into love. Using words such as “runway, speed,” “elevated above the ground,” and “human sea,” Ray uses her lyrics to create metaphors of big, sweeping things to reflect her journey. Comparing her mental state and current feelings to things like hotel rooms in skyscrapers or bustling city nightlife proves the artist’s storytelling genius is just as evident as her creativity in sound. The bouncy, captivating pop track is also unique, layered with harmonies, and very much linked to Ray’s innovative aura and personality.
At just 23 years old, Ray proves herself an artist in all forms. From her lyrics to her sound, her bright-colored creativity can be seen from almost any angle, but especially in her single’s music video. Bringing her metaphors to life, the visuals for “Bigger Than Me” show the artist getting swept away by the exciting nature of the everyday things happening around her — a testament to the love and spirit you can find around you wherever you go.
In a stark yet beautiful contrast, however, Ray’s second single, “Readymade,” reveals her story in a more quiet, more intimate state. Instead of falling headfirst, she’s now a little more cautious, dreamy, and in search of security and comfort. “Wrap me in a sense of sweet relief / Rid me of despair and disbelief / Know you’re all that I need,” she sings. The track’s reflective, echo-pop sound is reminiscent of the hazy daydreaming one might experience when everything feels too good to be true. Captured in song, Ray creates a double-sided story. One where she’s all in, and one where she’s careful not to let go.
In line with duality and more than just music, Ray is also an artist who is vocal about the expectations put on women artists in the music industry. On one hand, Ray sees the need for female artists to do better than what they did the last time as a motivator. Perhaps, it’s the reason why her songwriting is so telling. At the same time though, there is a constant need to impress audiences in doing so, but it’s a pressure that isn’t there for men as it is for women.
“I love watching a massive stadium show, like the Taylor Swift Reputation Tour, and seeing that work ethic pay off,” Ray tells American Songwriter. “And I love listening to folklore and seeing that her writing is the best it’s ever been. But at the same time, I also really wish there were a space for women to do something similar to what they’d already put out and be able to comfortably do that and not have to impress every single time. I don’t think that pressure is on men.”
Regardless of the pressure, however, Gretta Ray isn’t stopping her storytelling for anyone. With a plan to release a series of duologies in 2021, Duology One is only the first. Because of Ray’s stellar writing, both tracks have already proven that dreamy thinking isn’t just an illusion or a state of mind. It’s life, it’s emotion, and it can all stem from two contrasting perspectives – both still valid and both still real.
Bigger Than Me / Readymade (Duology One) is available for streaming now on all music platforms.