new single ‘Graveyard Romance’. Delivering a liberated 2-minute dash of whiplash punk riffs and frantic choruses, ‘Graveyard Romance’ turns the process of accepting one’s own trans-identity as a story “about ghosts finding true happiness” in the unlikeliest of places. Jopy celebrates her queerness through fantastical camp-horror fictions, rolling Marc Bolan styled vocals, The B-52s, and Rocky Horror Picture show into one blood-curdlingly gleeful package – written, recorded and produced entirely by Jopy herself. Tracing the track’s deeply personal origins in her own transition, as well its desire to communicate all of its joys, Jopy shares:
“My experience with accepting my own queer identity has in some ways felt like I’ve lived two lives. My first life when I was in the closet and unable to accept myself, and my new life since transitioning. Graveyard Romance for me is a fun story that both draws from and celebrates my real experiences with transition. It’s about two people who disliked each other when they were living but after they died and started their new life as ghosts they were able to find love for themselves and each other.
“I want to write songs that people can relate to and feel seen by without having to relive the more difficult aspects of their journeys. This is why I chose to convey my experiences in the form of a fun, campy horror story”
Growing up in the small town of Guildford - but now based in Brighton - Jopy aka Jo Parnell (pronounced “Joe-Pee”) - has been thinking about music for as long as she can remember. As a trans woman growing up in a town without much resembling queer culture, Jopy was acutely aware of the estranged, outsider status pinned upon her, using her music as a conduit to revel in this perceived ‘deviance’ and find subversive pleasure within it. Joined in her three piece band by childhood friends ‘Clown Baby’ (Bass) and Louis Relf (Drums), the results are a glittering treasure-trove of unhinged characters, oddball stories and razor-sharp songwriting:“..there’s a certain empowerment you can find in boring people finding your existence offensive...”
Jopy Live Dates
September
18 Bristol, Strange Brew (supporting Mermaid Chunky)
19 Southampton, Heartbreakers (supporting The Silver Lines)
20 Brighton, The Hope & Ruin (bar), Brighton (Official EP release show)
22 Derby, The Old Vic
23 Sheffield, Sidney & Matilda, Sheffield (supporting Sancho Panza)
26 London, Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes
27 Reading, Rising Sun Arts Centre, Reading
