MANE, the talented musician from Adelaide, gives us a deep dive into every song on her stunning new EP Coping Mechanisms.
Adelaide-based musician MANE has carved herself a spot in the Australian music scene as something of a enigma with a uniquely beautiful voice and a distinctive blues-based pop sound.
Having released two singles, ‘My People’ and ‘Over & Over’, in 2020, the talented songstress is putting the bow on this remarkable run with the release of her new EP Coping Mechanisms, which is out right now.
“Coping Mechanisms follows the journey of trying times, mental health and the moments of strength in between,” says MANE of her new EP. “It’s a reminder to myself and to anyone else going through something difficult that we all have the strength in us to overcome hard times and welcome personal growth.”
“I’ve always inherently felt things very deeply and fortunately for the better part of the last 10 years I’ve been able to have an outlet for that in my music – hence the EP title Coping Mechanisms. I’m so proud of this body of work and I can only hope that it can resonate and help those travelling through a similar chapter of their life.”
Now that Coping Mechanisms is out in the world, we had a chat with the talented musician and got her to give us the MANE breakdown on what each song is about.
‘My People’
‘My People’ is a celebration of everyone I hold close to me – My friends, my family, my support network.
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Though I don’t think any amount of words can ever express my gratitude to these people it’s my way of thanking them for helping me find strength when I couldn’t find it myself.
‘Hold’
I wrote ‘Hold’ with Joel Quatermaine in Melbourne mid-2019. The song is about coming to realise when things get overwhelming to take a step back and put things on hold regardless of whether that be a relationship or career choice or social life.
I’ve come to know what I am and am not capable of when I’ve stretched myself thin and despite not wanting to take a break I’m aware of when it’s in my best interest.
I think it’s important to understand that opportunities and people may not hang around for you in those moments but accepting that and knowing it was the best decision for YOU at the time.
‘Fucking Around’
‘Fucking Around’ was written when I was in an incredibly defeated mental state. I was really struggling to persevere and change my mind set to anything positive and the song came about by separating myself from those feelings and writing it almost as if I was trying to give myself the advice and pep talk I desperately needed.
The verses dwell on that negativity and the chorus is basically me convincing myself to dust my shoulders off, stop wallowing and get the fuck on with it cause being so sad and worried about what everyone thinks can be bloody exhausting.
‘Over & Over’
Following on from ‘Fucking Around’, fittingly ‘Over & Over’ was written in a genuine moment of strength during a really difficult time.
I think when things are tough you can choose to sit in sadness or you can choose to push forward and this song is a little reminder to myself to continue to persevere and to fight for my happiness and peace despite how hard it may be to do so at times.
I hope it can bring a moment of strength to those feeling similarly.
‘Start Again’
The EP title Coping Mechanisms came from this song. ‘Start Again’ was written after what felt like a bit of a writing block.
I felt completely juiced on a personal, and more upsettingly, a creative level and that was really hard because writing and creating music was my way of coping.
I fortunately got in the studio with two of my best friends and favourite people to collaborate, Mario Spate and Benjamin Tamblyn, and we wrote this in only a few hours.
It’s about searching for that spark and your child-like innocence when you’re feeling a little jaded and bitter and hard done by but knowing that your probs just being a bit dramatic. It’s OK to let things fall and bend and break because you can always find your feet again.
‘In My Mind’
I don’t like to talk much about this song. It’s something I went through and the emotions I felt then and still now at times. It is what it is and I prefer to just let this one speak for itself.
Check out Coping Mechanisms by MANE:
