Rowena Wise on Embracing Life's Grey Areas with New Album Bad Things Feel Good*

Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Rowena Wise's music has always been about exploring life's complexities. Her second album, Bad Things Feel Good*, continues this trend, delving into themes of non-monogamy, mental health, and identity crises.

Wise explains that her songs aim to convey complex subject matter in an accessible way, often contemplating "how we put pressure on ourselves to make the right choices, as though there's some moral scoreboard tallying everything up". She notes that life is much messier than that, and growth can often come through choices and experiences that don't neatly fit into good or bad.

A Nuanced Approach

The title of Bad Things Feel Good* is designed as the "start of an unspoken footnote, implying that not all bad things feel good", Wise says. "There's a very long list of exceptions … It allows space for nuance."

The album was written during a messy period in Wise's life, involving relationships, mental health, and identity crises. She rejected simplistic narratives, instead choosing to sit in the grey area and explore complex emotions.

On the title track, Wise sings of tossing out a faulty moral compass in favour of following her heart. The song features plaintive strumming and sighing pedal steel, underscoring her sensitivity.

Personal Experiences

Wise's music is informed by her personal experiences and those of her friends. The song Diamond in the Rough was inspired by a close friend's heartbreak and the pressures of maintaining impossible standards.

"I remember watching her still try to be charming and capable around everyone while privately falling apart. She had built so much of her identity around being exceptional, impressive and desirable."

Wise also shares that she has had "trouble showing vulnerability", having grown up with a "small country town" mentality. However, she believes it's essential to be honest with loved ones to avoid creating distance.

The Album's Sound

Wise reunited with producer Rob Muinos for Bad Things Feel Good*, recording at his Collingwood studio, The Ratshack. The album features a live band, including bassist Rich Bradbeer, drummer Jess Ellwood, and Matt Dixon on pedal steel.

"We all together just found a vibe. It was magic."

The ensemble's patient, understated backing adds a rounded, organic quality that accentuates Wise's emotions without overshadowing their intimacy.

Tour and Themes

Wise's Bad Things Feel Good* tour kicks off at Howler in Melbourne on October 15. The album's central theme is "unlearning inherited ideas", gifting its songs a sense of uncertainty but also authenticity.

"It's just got this power of making a whole room of [different] people feel the same thing at the same time. And therefore, everyone becomes something beyond themselves. It's as close to spirituality as I think I get."

Wise believes that music is "one of the only magic things in the world, because it transcends all sorts of geographic and demographic boundaries".