Get to know Mallrat before her September show at Voltage Lounge

Back when I interviewed Cub Sport‘s Tim Nelson, I asked him what we can do to make Mallrat the biggest star in the world. He replied, “I think we just sit back and let her do her thing. I think it’s gonna happen!” With her latest single, “Charlie”, and upcoming North American tour, Mallrat is on track to fulfilling Nelson’s prophecy.

Mallrat, real name Grace Shaw, started making music when she was still in high school. She released her debut single as Mallrat, “Suicide Blonde”, in July of 2015. Shaw’s stage name comes from the song “Mallrats (La La La)” by The Orwells. Mallrat’s debut EP, titled Uninvited, included “Suicide Blonde” and other songs she recorded in her last year of high school. The EP highlighted Shaw’s knack for relatable songwriting and quirky pop production. Listening to her is like listening to a good friend ramble about their lives; she is honest, sweet, silly, and lovable. In 2018, Shaw released her second EP, In The Sky. Following its release, Shaw opened for indie pop sweetheart Maggie Rogers across Europe.

Rogers is far from the only artist to give Shaw a co-sign. In January, Cub Sport featured Mallrat on “Video” off their shimmering self-titled album. Earlier this summer the band shared the video for “Video” which features both Nelson and Shaw in lengthy blonde wigs. On her own EP, In The Sky, Shaw worked with Allday on the track “UFO”. The Australian rapper is joining Shaw on her upcoming North American Tour. Shaw also recently collaborated with Basenji on the song “Nobody’s Home”. The two then went on an Australian tour in support of the single.

This week Shaw announced her third EP as Mallrat. Driving Music is due September 6th. In addition to announcing the EP, Shaw also shared its first single, “Charlie”. The tender track is named after Shaw’s family pet, a labrador named Charlie. On it, Shaw’s sweet and sugary vocals glide over a soft, piano-driven instrumental. The song’s lyrics deal with the idea of unconditional love, and with her hypnotic vocals, listeners can feel such love. The song’s video features Charlie and highlight’s Shaw’s experiences growing up in Brisbane. As if her previous output wasn’t enough to make you love her, this video will.

Check out the video for “Charlie” below. Mallrat and Allday will play Philly on Tuesday, September 24th at the Voltage Lounge. Tickets and more information can be found here.