Fresh off her prestigious Polaris Prize win for the ferocious debut ‘Good Luck’, Montreal’s visionary artist Debby Friday re-emerges with her highly anticipated second album, ‘The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life’. This radiant and genre-warping new offering showcases a profound evolution in her artistry, promising listeners an intimate glimpse into her transformative journey and pushing the boundaries of contemporary music.
From the raw, jagged electronica of her earlier EPs like ‘Bitch Punk’ and ‘Death Drive’ to the dark, metallic pulse of ‘Good Luck’, Debby Friday has consistently thrived on defying expectations and embracing unpredictability. Her meteoric rise following the 2023 Canadian Polaris Music Prize victory thrust her into a relentless, “go-go-go-go” schedule, driven by the belief that relentless work equated to greater success, a pace that ultimately tested her limits.
A grueling headline world tour in summer 2023 pushed the multifaceted music artist to her breaking point, resulting in severe stress, the development of shingles, and a debilitating loss of voice mid-run. This unexpected health crisis became a pivotal moment, forcing her to confront her vulnerabilities and discover a new expressive vocal approach, notably embracing her natural falsetto for the very first time—a technique she candidly admits she was initially shy about.
The artistic pivot is strikingly evident on ‘The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life’, where her once signature rasp and growl give way to a soaring falsetto that glides effortlessly over kinetic beats. Drawing inspiration from diverse electronic music genres such as Detroit techno, Gqom, baile funk, and even a unique “shoegaze dancehall” blend, the album creates an entirely new sonic landscape. This genre-warping music now invites listeners into a world laced with sweetness and vulnerability, deftly bridging the gap between her fierce stage persona and the shy, introspective woman behind the microphone, a transformation she describes as “becoming who I actually am.”
Debby Friday’s journey of reinvention extends beyond mere sound; it serves as a powerful mirror for her audience, inviting them into an evolving world where her deep roots meet craft inspired by pop legends like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears, all filtered through her uniquely fearless and genre-defying lens. With a wider array of collaborators, she deliberately steps outside her previous realm of noise and grit, making ‘The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life’ a more open, pop-infused, and emotionally resonant experience—a sparkly dancefloor moment intertwined with a late-night diary entry, both wild and vulnerable.
The distinct synthy, sugary texture of her new electronic pop sound marks a significant departure from her earlier discography, reflecting her current life phase. Honesty remains a core tenet of her artistic process; by mirroring her present experiences, which include increased gentleness and comfort in revealing different facets of herself, she maintains authenticity. The contrast between her intense stage presence and her shy, introverted off-stage self is a key theme, with the album aiming to bridge this perceived gap and show vulnerability, trusting the audience’s reception.
Driven by an innate curiosity and an instinctive approach to music, Debby Friday has always embraced hybridity, deeply rooting her work in electronic music while fearlessly experimenting with pop in a way that remains true to her unique vision. Her eclectic musical palate spans from an angsty teen fascination with metal, screamo, and punk, including The Runaways and Avril Lavigne, to a scholarly dive into the historical roots of rock and roll, jazz, and American music, absorbing influences like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Bette Davis. This profound passion for understanding the origins and evolution of music across all genres fuels her creative process, even without formal music theory knowledge.
The album’s creation followed a period of intense personal challenges and burnout, including developing shingles due to excessive stress after the Polaris Prize win, which compelled her to prioritize self-care and redefine success on her own terms. Through this profound personal and artistic journey, Debby Friday intends for her music to act as a mirror, empowering people from all walks of life to connect with their inner essence and believe in themselves. Her ultimate desire is for listeners to simply have a good time and see themselves in the music—if she is a star, then they are stars too.
