Transatlantic twosome Prima Queen have announced their debut EP: it’s called Not The Baby and will arrive on May 3 through Big Indie. The duo of Louise Macphail (Bristol, UK) and Kristin McFadden (Chicago, USA) have built up a head of steam with a series of singles released since 2021, but they say they are “really excited to finally release a complete body of work, rather than stand alone singles. These songs are meant to be listened to together and we want people to experience the emotional journey that they create.”
The first song to be shared is “Back Row”, with Prima Queen introducing it by saying: “Back Row is about the pain of hurting someone that was really important to you. The EP talks a lot about changes in relationships and this song brings to light how failed relationships can be beautiful in their own way and ultimately make you who you are”.
Written from the point of view of the heartbreker rather than the typical perspective of the heartbroken, “Back Row” reminds us that a break up is hard on both parties, even if it was clearly instigated by one. Prima Queen take us right into their anxious state as they open the song by chasing down someone they believe to be their ex, only for it to turn out to be someone else entirely. Later, they’re at a party being kissed by their new beau when their ex spots them across the room. Memories of pain and tears continue to surface across the track, but ultimately the ex still shows up in the back row of their show, the tendrils of affection still lingering between them.
Prima Queen wring out all of the spectrum of conflicting feelings from this song by furnishing it with winsome indie rock sounds, supported by rich brass injections that add emphasis to their pristine harmonies. It all builds to the tough but true chorus, where the duo simply admit that they “got tangled up and turned around / I got your hopes up and then I went back and let you down / maybe you were just another mistake / but you were one that I had to make”. There are no clean breaks, but Prima Queen put it all out on the table with “Back Row”, and hope that a line can be drawn under it in a way that leaves everyone in a place from which they can heal.
Watch the video for “Back Row” below or find it on streamers.
Prima Queen’s Not The Baby EP arrives on May 3 through Big Indie (pre-order on Bandcamp). You can find Prima Queen on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
You can also catch them on these dates:
23rd February – 02 Kentish Town Forum, London (with The Murder Capital)
24th February – New Century Hall, Manchester (with Whitney)
25th February – Saint Luke’s, Glasgow (with Whitney)
13th March -18th March – SXSW, USA
5th May – Focus Wales, Wrexham
6th May – Are You Listening Festival, Reading
18th May – Boileroom, Guildford
19th May – The Bodega, Nottingham
20th May – Get Together Festival, Sheffield
22nd May – Green Door Store, Brighton
23rd May – Lafayette, London
24th May – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
26th May – Esquires, Bedford
27th May – Live At Leeds Festival
28th May – Strange Brew, Bristol
21st July – Truck Festival, Steventon
22nd July – Tramlines Festival, Sheffield
28th July – Y Not Festival, Matlock
30th July – Kendal Calling Festival, Lowther
