Q&A: merci, mercy Puts Mental Health On the Table Through Authentic and Heartfelt Indie-Pop Tunes
IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND APPEARANCES — raw vulnerability is not only welcome, but very much necessary. Australian singer-songwriter, merci, mercy, comes like a breath of fresh air. Unapologetically honest and without holding anything back, she makes us take a hard look at those issues we sometimes try to sweep under the rug, all to the rhythm of sparkling melodies and bright synths.
After hitting the scene in early 2020 with her first single, “Fucked Myself Up,” and gathering over 10 million Spotify and Apple Music streams, Merci has been captivating fans and press alike with her effervescent pop anthems. Her debut EP, no thank you, no thanks, is a raw and gripping portrait of toxic relationships, addictions, self-doubt, and the chaos of youth. Through her intimate and cathartic lyricism, Merci opens up about mental health in the form of catchy, irresistible bangers, while also holding a mirror up to us and making us feel understood.
Despite a year still marked by restrictions on live music, the young artist has been working her way to the top. Now signed by Capitol Records US, she released her single “Winnie Crush” this past August with a new acoustic version that just dropped last week.
Read below to learn more about Merci’s journey and her fearless commitment to mental health awareness.
LUNA: Starting with the basics, how would you describe merci, mercy to someone who is just learning about you?
MERCI: I’d probably say that merci, mercy is somebody who will push the barriers of talking about mental health. And also will make you have a good time while listening to her.
LUNA: In your songs, you reflect about different kinds of relationships: with yourself, with friends, with lovers, with addiction. If you had to talk about your relationship to music, how would you describe it?
MERCI: I think I’d say my connection to music is pretty strong, because I do rely on it most of the time in order to get out of the house and go to the shops. So, if I’m having a panic attack, I’ll put on some music and it makes me feel a lot better.
LUNA: What do you want people to feel when they listen to you, especially those struggling with mental health who come across your music?
MERCI: Probably just a sense of relief, like, “ah, yeah, somebody gets it.”
LUNA: A few months ago, you released your single “Winnie Crush.” Can you elaborate on the meaning and inspiration behind this song?
MERCI: I’d literally just spent my last $100 on a packet of cigarettes and I was quite angry at myself, so I was like, “you know what, I’m gonna write a song about this and how stupid I am for wasting the only money I had on cigarettes.”
LUNA: The video shows you in a fantastical wonderland of vices. I’ve noticed all of your videos are animated, and I also know you’ve been collaborating with illustrator Bianca Bosso. Has animation always been something you were interested in?
MERCI: No, actually. I wasn’t interested in it at all, but then the label guy, — which, I love him — he suggested it, and I was like, “Hell yeah.” If I don’t have to record a music video so soon in my career, that’d be great, because I would just look like a deer in headlights.
LUNA: Despite your themes and intimate lyrics, your aesthetic is very bright and fun, both in sound and in visuals. Is this contrast something you intended or did it just come about?
MERCI: Yeah, I think it just came about, ’cause I love color, especially when I’m having bad days. I love being able to look around and just seeing bright colors makes me so happy. Not today, though, I’ve just got black on (laughs).
LUNA: I really love how open you are regarding mental health in your songs, your interviews, and your social media. How important do you think it is to have these honest conversations and how do you think art can help end the stigma?
MERCI: I think art is something that everybody enjoys. So, whether you’re somebody who likes to talk about mental health or you’re somebody who doesn’t like to talk about mental health, it puts two of those people in a room together and it makes it less uncomfortable, I think. ’Cause sometimes people don’t want to listen to you talk about your mental health because it makes them feel uncomfortable. So hopefully music and all that kind of stuff and talking about it more will make the uncomfortable person feel less uncomfortable.
LUNA: What has the pandemic been like for you? How has it affected your headspace and creative process? Has it changed the way you make music?
MERCI: Oh my god, yes. I feel like most of the time, being in lockdown, I just don’t know what to write, like I had writer’s block all the time. And then just doing nothing really puts you down ’cause you feel like, “Well, I’m not doing anything, so I don’t have anything to write about,” and then I can’t just write another song about being depressed because … well, I mean, I can. I do, anyway, but yeah, it’s been quite difficult. But it’s nice to sit with your thoughts, because it can make some bangers!
LUNA: As 2021 comes to an end, what are you looking forward to in 2022 and what can we expect to see from you in the future?
MERCI: Well, hopefully I’ll be performing a lot more in 2022, because I have not set foot on a stage since the end of May and I’m really looking forward to actually singing in front of people.
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