Ratbag (musician)
Ratbag | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Sophie Brown |
| Born | 2003 or 2004 (age 19–20) |
| Origin | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, visual artist |
| Years active | 2021–present |
| Labels | Mischief |
| Website | worldofratbag |
Sophie Brown (born 2003 or 2004),[1] known professionally as ratbag, is a New Zealand musician and multimedia artist. Active since 2021, her music draws influence from grunge, shoegaze, punk, and pop,[2][3] and often features surreal horror-inspired visuals centered on a fictional cartoon band of monsters, which she depicts in various artistic mediums. After building a following on TikTok, Brown released her debut EP, Why Aren't You Laughing?, in December 2023.
Early life[edit]
Originally from Auckland, New Zealand, Brown drew art from a young age, and was a fan of horror films growing up.[2] She received her first guitar at age 7 as a Christmas present,[4] but did not pursue music until age 15, when she began writing songs in her bedroom on her father's ukulele.[2][1]
Career[edit]
Brown began making art and music as Ratbag in 2021.[2] In Australia and New Zealand, ratbag is a common slang term for a mischievous child, which Brown has said she was often labeled growing up.[2] After building an audience on TikTok with a series of surreal multimedia art, she released her first single as Ratbag, "Rats in My Walls", in July 2023.[5][3] A second single, "Exit Girl", was released the following September with an accompanying music video.[3] Both singles were included on Ratbag's debut EP, Why Aren't You Laughing?, released 8 December 2023.[6][1]
Artistry[edit]
Brown's music incorporates elements of punk, shoegaze, grunge, pop, art pop, and alternative rock.[3][4][2][7] Her musical influences include Pixies, Broken Social Scene, David Bowie, Declan McKenna, and Billie Eilish.[3][2] Brown has said she enjoys experimenting with sounds in her music: "I like to take normal sounds and make them really weird – I’m really into reversing. I like mucking around with the little pieces of vocals and cutting it up. It’s almost like I’m dissecting things in my computer."[2]
The music of Ratbag is often accompanied by surrealist drawings and animations created by Brown. These typically feature her fictional band of animated monsters: Deemo, a devil-like bassist; Fritz, a crocodile-clown hybrid keyboardist; Slug, a guitarist in a mohawked bird mask; and Eugene, a purple octopus-headed drummer.[4][2] According to Brown, each of the four monsters represents a different part of her personality.[2] These visual elements have been compared to those of Gorillaz, Dethklok, the children's book Where the Wild Things Are, and the art of comic book writer Neil Gaiman.[3][2] Brown herself has cited Jack Stauber, the shows Don't Hug Me I'm Scared and Adventure Time, and A24-produced horror films like Midsommar and Hereditary as inspiring the visual and narrative aspects of her work.[4][2]
Brown has a substantial following on TikTok, where she posts digital art and stop motion animations of her "band" and the story surrounding them,[2] as well as showcasing her love of sculpture, claymation, photography, fashion, and other artistic mediums.[3][1][5]
Discography[edit]
EPs[edit]
- Why Aren't You Laughing? (2023; Mischief, Universal Music New Zealand)
Singles[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | "Rats in my Walls" | Why Aren't You Laughing? |
| "Exit Girl" | ||
| "Dead End Kids" |
Music videos[edit]
- "Exit Girl" (2023, dir. Frances Carter)
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Taylor, Sam (8 December 2023). "ratbag: "I don't know why I like mistakes, but I just do"". Dork. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rigotti, Alex (8 November 2023). "Ratbag and her fictional band are terrifying TikTok". NME. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g Teder, Camryn (14 September 2023). "ratbag opens a portal into her weird world of shoegaze with latest single "exit girl"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d Carter, Daisy (20 September 2023). "Get To Know… ratbag". DIY. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ a b Murray, Robin (27 July 2023). "ratbag's 'rats in my walls' Is A Breathlessly Honest Introduction". Clash. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ Carter, Emily (8 December 2023). ""An invitation into my world…" ratbag releases debut EP, why aren't you laughing?". Kerrang!. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ Rincon, Alessandra (14 December 2023). "ratbag Throws Away the Rules in Debut EP 'why aren't you laughing?'". Ones to Watch. Retrieved 19 February 2024.