RUEL AND DMA’S
JOIN FORCES FOR
UNEXPECTED TWO-TRACK
INDIE POP COLLABORATION
FIRST SINGLE ‘WHAT A LIFE’ OUT NOW
+ BORN FROM A FRIENDSHIP SPARKED IN 4TH WALL WRITING SESSIONS, THE UNLIKELY PAIRING ARE RELEASING TWO BRILLIANT TRACKS THAT SHOWCASE THEIR COLLECTIVE STRENGTHS
Four of Australia’s most loved musicians have come together in a uniquely unexpected creative partnership – with breakthrough artist Ruel and acclaimed indie rock trio DMA’S dropping the first of two collaborative tracks today, ‘What A Life’.
Hitting it off at writing sessions for Ruel’s music, the group organically penned a handful of tunes together that felt far more collaborative in genre and style, pairing the best of DMA’S sound with Ruel’s striking vocals.
Ruel’s surprise appearance at DMA’S’ sold-out Enmore Theatre show last October, joining the band to perform a teasing acoustic version of one of these tracks, was met with overwhelming fan response (quickly racking up over 400k views). It was the final push they needed to finish and release the tracks from these sessions.
“Ruel is a special talent and we worked really well together through the writing and recording process. Things came together very naturally.”
– Tommy O’Dell, DMA’S vocalist
“This one is a little removed from either of our sounds, so it was really fun to collaborate in a different way and write an up-tempo feel-good song” – Ruel
It comes as Ruel breaks through to new heights internationally following his debut album 4TH WALL, with DMA’S now firmly established in the global indie rock scene after taking home ARIA Best Group last year and earning their second top 5 UK Chart result.
‘What A Life’ opens with warm synthetic keys; a nostalgic tone that would feel at home on the soundtrack of 1996 cult classic ‘Romeo & Juliet’ but is modernised by DMA’S’ trademark descending guitar strum – a sonic emblem of the band. At the chorus Ruel’s stunning vocal delivers “Welcome to my life”, and the music deftly follows his command. A simple synth line sweeps us back into the shuffling rhythm of the second verse, a masterful dance that continues – creating a single that is at once playful, and plaintive.
DMA’S embarked on their biggest run of Australian shows to date in 2023, a mammoth 19 shows across 16 cities and towns, as well as playing to adoring crowds across UK/Europe, including a sold-out show at London’s OVO Arena Wembley and the main stage of Reading & Leads Festival. With their fourth record How Many Dreams, the band landed their highest chart debut ever, peaking at #2 on the ARIA charts and a momentous #3 on the UK Official Album Charts, marking DMA’S second top 5 UK Chart debut – a feat only a handful of Australian artists such as Kylie Minogue, ACDC and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have achieved. The trio also took out triple j’s Hottest 100 of Like A Version with their iconic cover of Cher’s ‘Believe’.
Ruel is the youngest ever recipient of an ARIA Award, following the now 21-year-old singer/songwriter’s discovery at the young age of 12. He boasts over 3 billion streams globally, has sold out the iconic Sydney Opera House twice, completed four sold out world tours and taken home two MTV Europe Awards. Ruel has collaborated with fashion houses such as Prada, Fendi and Louis Vuitton, featured in publications such as GQ and VOGUE, and released three award winning EPs ahead of his beloved 2023 debut record 4TH WALL.
PRAISE FOR DMA’S
“The central pillar in DMA’S is the voice of Tommy O’Dell, a melodic siren that blares across the rooftops” – The Australian ★★★★
“Tommy O’Dell, Johnny Took and Matt Mason’s gift is for getting straight to the big emotions and letting them out with the hooks to match” – Classic Pop ★★★★
PRAISE FOR RUEL
“It’s astonishing that someone so young, can write something this good… I give up”. – Elton John
“Ruel is like the second coming of the pop prince, one destined to scale to even greater heights.” – GQ
Ruel & DMA’S – ‘What A Life’
Out now via
I OH YOU / RECESS RECORDS
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