Julien Baker to feature on Thomas Powers debut solo album, A Tyrant Crying In Private

Written and performed in collaboration with esteemed US indie-rock band Now Now, the album's lead single, "Permanent Holiday" serves as a sequel to the recently released "Best For You". Speaking on the release, Powers says: “Permanent Holiday is a reflection on a decade of my life, seen through the lens of a cherished friendship.. it carries a deep sense of nostalgia for a time that can never be recovered".

Powers’ formative years in New Zealand were punctuated by the meteoric rise of The Naked And Famous; where in 2010, they burst from hometown heroes to international stardom with their double platinum, synth-soaked hit, "Young Blood".

While Powers describes The Naked And Famous' music as very much "an authentic artistic endeavour," it's his forthcoming debut album that he describes as "unapologetically me". Elaborating on this, he says: "Bits and pieces of this record had been sitting around in my archives for as long as I've been working on The Naked And Famous," he reflects, "but the first fully realized song was "Li." When I finished that demo, I knew I'd found my center - my sound. The band was on hiatus, and it was the first lockdown of 2020, so I thought, "If not now, when?!"

Julien Baker makes an appearance on two tracks, including the first introductory single, "Empty Voices". Powers recounts, "During the quiet of lockdown, I reached out to Julien, whom I had connected with years prior. It was an honor when she expressed interest in singing on 'Empty Voices.' Julien recorded her parts and a handful of improvisations remotely. Initially, she sang in unison during the chorus, but I'm a stickler for a well-arranged duet, so I asked if she had time to jump in the booth to record some harmonies in LA. We met up, blasted through it, and spent most of our studio time drinking beers up a hill in Echo Park, watching the sunset."