It’s fair to say that no one has yearned for the long-awaited return of Gretta Ray more than Gretta Ray.
The release of ‘Swimming, Crying’ marks the Aussie pop star’s first new music in two years. The single is a sea change from 2024 record Positive Spin but, even in its stripped-back production, the much-loved Ray warmth is abundant.
I had the chance to interview Gretta back in May 2024 at The Great Escape in Brighton. Sheltering from the early summer sun with an iced coffee, just a few minutes from the beachfront, it felt like the perfect moment to talk about Positive Spin.
The singer’s third record, Positive Spin, saw the star embrace her pop star status. The synths were dialled up, giddiness laced into lyrics, and a big production show taken across the world.
Gretta had spoken of plans to journey further down that road for album number four, but ‘Swimming, Crying’ sees that sound swapped for intimate bedroom murmurs.For anyone who hasn’t followed Ray on social media since 2024, it comes as a shock. For those who have, it’s the reintroduction we’ve been waiting for.
The artist has been candid about her health struggles in 2024, when a heart problem forced her to put music on pause at a career high — “Can you believe I wrote a song about being a heartbreak baby, and now I actually have a physically broken heart,” she penned on Instagram at the time.
Written a year ago, ‘Swimming, Crying’ sees the singer muse on her journey with grief. Over just a guitar, Gretta is coming up for air.
“I’m so sick of writing all my songs about rebuilding,” the 28-year-old opens, and it’s impossible not to feel her exhaustion over the four-and-a-half minutes. “I’m so sick of flying, only to realise I’m falling,” she sings.
However, ‘Swimming, Crying’ is far from down and out. It’s impossible not to feel the same sun, sea and positivity from that afternoon in Brighton is ever-present as the single wanders on. In the face of tribulation, Gretta finds solace in what she knows best. “The ocean is restless, yet reassuring,” she reflects after a dolphin sighting.
‘Swimming, Crying’ may be the artist’s quietest release in years, but those moments of optimism come across louder and bring about smiles bigger than ever before.