Picking the perfect Mother’s Day gift that manages to land squarely between ‘thoughtful’ and ‘affordable’, while also showing true gratitude is a challenge at the best of times let alone trying to do it in the middle of a global pandemic, trapped in isolation with mum looking over your shoulder.
But despite the lockdown measures in place, Australian pop group Sheppard have managed to pull together the ultimate mother’s day surprise in secret, all while trapped in isolation, with their mum Linda in the room next door.
“Flowers, wine, chocolates; they’re all great gifts to celebrate your mum, but this year we wanted to take a more personal approach” said Sheppard singer Amy Sheppard. “For the past few months we’ve been covertly working on writing and recording “Thank You”, a song that celebrates our amazing mum, Linda.”
Filled with signature Sheppard sounds, pop hooks and lyrics that openly and honestly recount memorable moments from the bands childhood and teenage years, “Thank You” is all in the title: a deeply personal thank you message to their mum this Mother’s Day.
“Our mum has been such an incredibly important member of our band. She’s always been there behind the scenes as a silent helping hand, making life easier for us in any way she can. Said George Sheppard “This year we couldn’t get out of the house to physically buy her a gift or to take her to lunch, so this Mother’s Day we wanted to do something a bit different. We wrote “Thank You” to our mum (all mums all over the world really) as a song of gratitude – not just for putting up with us in isolation these past few weeks, but for looking after us for our entire lives!”
Written by the band’s core writing team of George and Amy Sheppard and guitarist Jay Bovino, the band’s sixth release from their forthcoming album is more than just a thank you to their mum, it’s proof that it’s the thought that counts on Mother’s Day.
“Our mum is like an extra member of the band. She’s been by our side for some of the most important moments of our career, from playing in stadiums, festivals and clubs in over 60 countries around the world. Said Emma Sheppard “We’ve spent A LOT of time in airports and horrible hotels over the years and she’s always been there supporting us. We’re beyond lucky to have her on board!”
Released track by track, month by month, and accompanied by music videos, art and content splashed across the bands social channels; Sheppard’s forthcoming 2020 release will slowly begin to take shape over the coming months.
‘Thank You’ is the band’s sixth release from the forthcoming album.
220 Kid and GRACEY have dropped the official video for their chart-infiltrating single “Don’t Need Love,” watch HERE.
The gripping video explores the trials and tribulations of being in a relationship in the 21st century – when technology rules all. The visuals are therefore composed of phone selfies and screengrabs of conversations, ideally complementing the modern pop vibe of the track itself.
“Don’t Need Love” has just passed 18.5 million cumulative global streams. It charted at #38 in the UK Singles chart and currently sits inside the Top 30 of the midweeks after being placed on the BBC Radio 1 A-list playlist, The Capital B List and the Kiss FM playlist. It also reached #15 in the Spotify UK viral chart and got the remix treatment by UKG don Majestic. “Don’t Need Love” currently sits at #5 at Dance Radio in the US and can be heard on countless playlists worldwide, such as Pop Rising and Mint.
A producer, writer and DJ, 220 Kid adopted the name after running 220 miles in bright pink pants for charity, after his beloved godfather passed away. He was soon scouted as a model and has worked for the likes of Vogue, GQ, Nike, Reebok and others, while continuing to develop his sound. His broad musical ability has allowed him to write and produce with a wide range of artists and producers, including Grades, Sheppard, CamelPhat, Walking on Cars, Alpines and Maverick Sabre.
GRACEY arrived in 2019 with debut single “Different Things,” a slow-burning, heart-breaking introduction that instantly caught fire with fans and critics across the board. The track has received over 1 million streams on Spotify alone.
The 21-year-old songwriter then released her debut EP Imposter Syndrome at the end of 2019, marking a hugely significant flag in the sand for one of the UK’s most prolific songwriters as she finally steps out into the spotlight. Her 2020 single “Alone In My Room (Gone)” was released in February and in total, she has now registered 6.3 million combined streams across all platforms.
A gripping exploration into the role played by technology in modern relationships, the official video for “Don’t Need Love” looks destined to help the track continue its hot streak.
