Gretta Ray Shares A Love Letter To London With New Single 'Roses'

Never one to rest on her laurels, Gretta Ray has returned with a bright new single called Roses – and with it, a new deluxe edition of her stellar second album, Positive Spin.

In a press release, it’s said Roses was written amidst the height of COVID-19 as “a heartfelt reflection on [Ray’s] deep connection to London and the longing to return”. It was co-written with longtime collaborator Gab Strum (aka Japanese Wallpaper), and recorded between home setups and Purple Wayne Studios in Collingwood with Strum also leading production.

On the release, Ray said she’s “been wanting to share Roses with my fans for so long”, describing it as a “warm and optimistic song” that “has always belonged on a version of Positive Spin”. She added: “I’m very excited for everyone to hear the final version, especially my UK fans, seeing as the song is about London.”

Have a look at the accompanying music video for Roses, helmed by William Blackburn:

The new version of Positive Spin, officially dubbed Positive Spin+, quietly dropped yesterday (March 13) via EMI. In addition to the main album’s 12 songs and Roses, it features it features a reimagined take on the album track Upgraded, an acoustic redux of the single Heartbreak Baby, and Ray’s 2020 collab with Japanese Wallpaper, Better.

Positive Spin was spotlit by TheMusic.com.au as one of the best Australian albums of 2023, with copy praising it as “a bright and bubbly soundtrack for a cultural moment that has been everything but”.

Ray said upon the album’s initial release last August: “Songwriting is so therapeutic, and my way of moving through my emotions has been to put a positive spin on my experiences.” She was later nominated for the 2023 Australian Music Prize, and last month made it onto the shortlist for this year’s APRA Song Of The Year award (earning the nod for Heartbreak Baby).