Positive Spin comes to you bathed in golden light, a hazy sunset of love and heartbreak, growth
and understanding. It’s an infectious album, full of beautiful moments of classic, emotive pop from
Melbourne’s Gretta Ray.

2021’s Begin to Look Around captured the magical sound of an artist coming into the world.
Positive Spin matches the energy and melodic-high of the best-selling debut with a new layer of
complexity. Ray’s confidence, and capacity for reflection and grace resonate across her second
full-length release. Positive Spin is charged with the rosy glow of “optimism… Songwriting is so
therapeutic, and my way of moving through my emotions has been to put a positive spin on my
experiences”.

From a Triple J Unearthed win in 2016, to the Vanda and Young Global Songwriting Prize, it’s hard
to imagine a more impressive start for Gretta Ray. Her 2021 debut album Begin to Look Around
was nominated for both an ARIA Music Award (Breakthrough Artist – Release) and a J Award
(Australian Album of the Year). Add to that a sold-out headliner tour in 2022, an Australian arena
tour supporting Gang of Youths and a viral – moment – with her poignant and entirely breathtaking
cover of Billy Joel’s Vienna on TikTok (a dazzling high that has so far hit over 20 million streams
globally, and half a million creates across socials).

Making pop music this good isn’t easy – there’s a commitment to and understanding of the form,
the way to capture an audience’s hearts as well as bodies that comes from hours of performing,
creating energy and connection on stage.

The beats are electrifying, holding time and building momentum for the lustre of the melodies and
the power of Ray’s vocals. Seemingly effortless and often playful, Ray knows just when to be soft
and conspiratorial, and when to soar; finding perfect pop-coated moments to lift you up again
and again. Listening to the chorus of Heartbreak Baby feels like running into a friend on the
dancefloor who is one drink ahead of you and just glowing and owning the space.

The album’s production strikes a delicate balance, blending textured layers of sound without
feeling too busy. It’s a skilled use of variation and intensity that never overwhelms. The sound is
cohesive, a just-right balance of trusted partnerships and new collaborators. Ray says of the
process: “the energy that you create, and the relationship that you create with the songs in that
studio environment is the foundation of everything”.

It’s a powerful sentiment, when working with the likes of Alex Hope in Nashville, Evan Klar, Hailey
Collier, Justin Hayward-Young and Caroline Pennell in LA and Omri Dahan and Maestro ‘TheBaker’
in London, alongside Gab Strum, Robby De Sa, Hamish Patrick and Josh Barber here at home
(their combined key credits include Troye Sivan, Carly Rae Jepsen, MAY-A, Mallrat, Blusher,
George Alice, Yungblud, Demi Lovato and Rihanna).

Positive Spin does what every sophomore album hopes for, it both extends and refines the work of
the artist. The tone and agility of Ray’s vocals give her lots of room to play, and her maturity as
both a songwriter and a performer is evident. Her last album brought with it a sold-out headliner
tour, and support shows to arenas nationally – a real baptism by fire when it comes to honing your
craft.

Ray feels entirely at home in herself with this album, making and embracing her best and most
honest work yet: “Being in pop music and being a woman in pop music… your perception of
where you’re at can get very warped. I’m starting to really settle into my mid-20s… I feel stronger
now than I ever have… I am so much more equipped to do the job now, and to be this person
now… I feel really empowered by the knowledge that I have gotten, over the years of experience
that I have had in this industry”.