About the Artist
The search for validation can send even the most confident person into a spiral. On his new single 'Tell Me You Love Me', Meanjin/Brisbane artist Harley channels that feeling into an energetic indie-rock release packed with an undeniable heart.
Since launching the project in 2021, Harley has released a string of singles including 'Depths', 'Those Eyes', 'What Do I Know' and 'Give Me Something', while building a growing presence on stages across Southeast Queensland.
Along the way, he has shared stages with acts including MODELS and MARVELL, performed at Bluesfest 2024, and continued to refine a sound shaped by indie rock, folk and blues influences.
Now on the all-consuming 'Tell Me You Love Me', Harley delivers the kind of track that demands to be sung back. Anchored by its repeated titular refrain, the track captures the restless search for reassurance through something punchy, euphoric and impossible to shake.
Effortlessly cool and full of movement, layers of guitars, airy synths, and driving rhythms give the track a constant sense of dynamism, with each moment arriving bigger, bolder, and more irresistible than the last. From the anthemic lead guitars and feel-good groove to the impassioned cries of "tell me you love me", the result is absolutely infectious.
Beneath its upbeat exterior, 'Tell Me You Love Me' is written from the perspective of a lover pleading for reassurance, tracing the self-doubt that can emerge when affection begins to feel uncertain. Yet like all good pop songs, there is more than one story to be found within it. Speaking on the track, Harley shares:
"‘Tell Me You Love Me’ is a search for validation and fulfilment. Something I think we all feel but instead put on a brave face and ignore. However, I love when songs have double meanings and can be interpreted by the listener in multiple ways. I think for me the song serves in the light of a musician searching for fans and validation. Seeking sold out shows, people who truly connect with the music and perhaps the strength to be unapologetically goofy and weird."
Independent Music, Amplified