Review: Littlefair’s Happy

Littlefair
Happy
Blue Grey Pink

Last Friday saw the release of West Aussie indie-rock group Littlefair’s newest single, Happy. Described as an upbeat existentialist number, Happy is the band’s first release for this year, adding to their growing discography.

Littlefair have been making their mark on the WA music scene over the past few years, with solid performances at WAMFest’s Scarbs Beach Party in 2023 and last year’s Beats in the Bay in Shark Bay.

Last year proved to be a breakthrough year for the band, winning the Nannup Music Festival’s Emerging Artist Award in March and then having their single Tired Eyes nominated at the West Australian Music Song of the Year awards in both the Rock and Folk categories in June.

When listening to Happy’s upbeat and bubbly rhythm, you can’t help but smile and tap your foot to the beat. The cheerful yet witty attitude of the song is infectious and helps set the tone.

The song’s playful yet perceptive lyrics touch on “ticking off the goalposts of job, relationship, etc., in life and then being like, is that it? And then venturing past those and finding your own meaning,” shared lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Jessica Depiazzi.

The band worked with music producer Lee Buddle from Crank Studios, and when talking about the recording process of the song, Depiazzi says, “Lee is meticulous in his work, especially when it comes to harmonies and ensuring they’re spot on. We love the attention to detail he gave this song for us.” This is clearly reflected in the track, as each layer, whether it’s the vocal harmonies, the instrumentation, or the accompanying violin and piano melodies, has its purpose, and nothing feels out of place.

The song’s shift from the more folksy tones of the band’s prior singles to a more pop-rock feel does not detract, and the band’s talent and creativity shine.

Speaking about the song’s different vibe, Depiazzi explained, “This was one of the first songs where we started moving naturally away from the singer-songwriter folk feel to something a bit more uptempo and fun.”

Littlefair’s debut EP is set to be released in April, so fans should definitely stay tuned!

You can catch Littlefair at their single launch for Happy at Clancy’s Fish Pub, Fremantle, on Saturday, February 1.

JAMES THORN