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Today, LA-based rising alternative artist Ronboy, the musical moniker of Julia Laws, shares her latest ethereal single "Forget It" out everywhere now. The forthcoming poignant and atmospheric debut studio album Pity To Love is due out September 30 and available to pre-order now. Celebrate the album release with Ronboy in LA at Gold Diggers on September 30 with tickets and information available here, featuring music, merch and more. Preview the merch here.
It was during the making of "Forget It" that Ronboy knew she had a body of work taking shape. The sleek, mid-tempo production is bolstered with nostalgic, atmospheric instrumentation. Dropping into the bridge, Ronboy’s vocal mantra swirls around before rocketing into a high energy solo and final chorus, singing, "Forget it too easy / Not your problem / You get it, you get it / You do away with it."
"'Forget It'" was a distinctly fun song to write and record," recalls Ronboy. "And as a bonus, has some stellar, inconspicuous personality." Built around a demo recorded while sick, Ronboy shares,"I had an involuntary crack come out of my throat. I thought it had a vibe and dropped it throughout the chorus. Pitched a few of them around to follow the progression and coincidentally, they became the jumping off point for the syncopated rhythm and groove of the song."
The forthcoming debut LP, Pity To Love, emerged first from feelings, rather than specific subject matter, and came together after a few tireless weeks in the studio. "A lot of the album’s concept comes from me grappling with my own mental health. I had a feeling, more than a topic, for the songs and wasn’t sure if they would translate the way I heard them in my head," Ronboy explains. Speaking to the recording process, Ronboy says, "The recording process began as us chipping away when we could and ended with us all together for two hardcore weeks tying up each song. We’d record all day then I’d go straight to my studio to track final vocals, wake up the next day, print the vocals, maybe track some piano or something and head back to the studio to do it all over again for the next song."
The album includes production by Ronboy herself, and Samuel Stewart (Lo Moon, Nightmare and the Cat), along with additional production by Sterling Laws (Lo Moon, Kim Gordon, Matt Berninger, Olivia Rodrigo) who affirmed Ronboy's initial ideas and helped propel the project further. Over ten tracks, Ronboy turns inward to confront her own fears, transforming her innermost thoughts and spiraling emotions into vivid sonic catharsis, with plenty of space to dance.
"Taking the album to Sam and Sterling was really reassuring. They got it instantly and were on board with approaching the production from more of a visual standpoint," shares Ronboy. "I’d have depictions for songs like “this song is a fever dream” or “that song is an anxiety attack.” And we’d run towards that. 'Pity To Love' holds a lot of emotion, some over-awareness, and melancholy feelings. Dancing is welcomed."
Last month, Ronboy's raw track, "Your Way" premiered with Under the Radar, who wrote the track is, "a stark and contemplative track, traced with only a three-chord piano accompaniment, some subtle understated drones, and Laws’ unadorned vocal performance...Laws’ songwriting is both gorgeous and desolate, allowing her to stun with crystalline melodies before she follows with a heartrending lyrical voice."
Ronboy's debut EP, Velvet, arrived in 2020 filled with lush soundscapes and layered synths. The following year, in 2021, Ronboy appeared on a cover of Tom Petty's "Only A Broken Heart" alongside The National's Matt Berninger and Resynator–a cover that received praise from Stereogum and Brooklyn Vegan. Today's release follows a string of singles released this year that have caught the attention of several leading tastemakers. "Say Too Much," released in July, features 80's-inspired percussion and vocal structure with a groove that Lock Magazine described as "iridescent" and like much of her music, "laced with emotion." Earlier this month, the track was played on NPR's World Cafe. In June, Ronboy shared "Always," which Indie88 called "explosive" and "haunting" and later, grabbed the attention of American indie-rocker Sharon Van Etten.
In late 2020, Ronboy joined Beringer for a string of live performances including The Late Show with Steven Colbert, CBS This Morning, live from Hollywood's EastWest Studios and shortly after, in December 2020, joined him for KEXP's live performance series. Ronboy is currently on tour with Jade Bird and has made appearances with Bird at London's O2 Forum and at several festivals including SXSW, New Mexico's Ladder to the Moon Festival, Americana Music Festival and this weekend, will hit Sound On Sound in Bridgeport, CT.
Ronboy's latest nostalgia-tinged single "Forget It" is out everywhere now ahead of her intimate debut LP Pity To Love coming September 30 and available for pre-order now. Join Ronboy for the album release show the night of its release at LA's Gold Diggers, with tickets on sale now here. Preview the merch here and connect with Ronboy on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to keep up with the rising musician.
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