ces hotbake wants you to find the meaning in minimal debut "waitress"

The Sydney-based singer's debut single might not have the whip-smart wit of her Twitter feed, but "waitress" offers up plenty else besides. Minimal, resonant piano supports a wistful vocal, lyrics laid bare by a hypnotically skeletal arrangement. ces hotbake has a rare gift in her ability to command attention with the most softly delivered performance; her old soul voice at once fragile and captivating.

"I was in a more triphoppy type thing before this," the singer explains of her sonic direction, "and was worried that people might think that just piano and vocals was too boring, but it feels right. I've tried to be cool previously but I wasn't fooling anyone, I'm not cool, I'm a sook who sits at home and listens to Tori Amos and Nilsson and I write whiny songs about feelings and that's who I am."

She continues, elaborating on the meaning behind "waitress" specifically: "More conceptually I guess I wrote a song about how boredom turns you into a nostalgic idiot who sees meaning in dumb meaningless shit. I'm more interested in what other people hear in a song I wrote than whatever I was trying to say in it anyway!"

Here's to hoping it won't be long before ces hotbake is known for more than a wicked sense of humour – though we hope that's also here to stay!