Introducing: Peri Rae

Indie rock’s rising star, Peri Rae, returns with her most vulnerable track yet, "You Drove An Hour Trip," a raw and poignant reflection on love, loss, and the bittersweet moments in between. Inspired by the emotional aftermath of a breakup, the song captures the chaos of a relationship's final chapter—a time when gestures of love feel both meaningful and maddening.

"The day after we broke up, he drove an hour just to see me," Peri shares. "We walked hand in hand up Primrose Hill, and at the top, he gave me a gold necklace. It was beautiful, but we were still broken up. That moment was so chaotic and confusing, and I wanted the song to hold that feeling."

With sweeping guitar lines and haunting vocals influenced by Alex Turner’s Submarine EP, Peri delivers a track that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly modern. Following a whirlwind year of festival performances and viral success, Peri Rae is solidifying her place as indie rock’s unapologetic voice of emotional storytelling. "You Drove An Hour Trip" November 1st—get ready to lose yourself in its evocative pull.

1. Your new single, ‘You Drove An Hour Trip,’ captures a very bittersweet and personal moment after a breakup. What was it about that experience on Primrose Hill that compelled you to turn it into a song?

That breakup was such a head-spinner. We split because we didn’t want the same things—I wanted to be with him, he didn’t want a relationship—but somehow, he couldn’t let me go. The constant back-and-forth made me feel like I was losing it, and I think that’s where all those cause-and-effect lines in the song come from. It was my way of making sense of something that didn’t make sense.

2. Alex Turner's ‘Submarine’ EP played a big role in shaping this track. How did his music influence your sound, and are there other artists who've been key inspirations for your work?

Alex Turner’s lyrics paint such vivid stories; I feel like they just wrap around you. That album was massive for me as a teenager. It felt like the only thing that ‘got’ me during a time when I felt like no one or nothing else did. I hope that by pouring my heart out in my lyrics, I can give someone else that same feeling. You’ll also catch hints of Phoebe Bridgers and early Coldplay in there—artists I’m obsessed with.

3. With your debut EP amassing over a million streams in its first week and your sophomore EP leading to sold-out shows, how has this rapid success shaped your approach to songwriting and performing?

It sounds so unreal when you put it like that! But yeah, I don’t stop. I work till I’m sick of it, but I love it. My therapist keeps telling me I need boundaries, but I think I’ll just take a break when I headline Glastonbury (and then I’ll get right back to it).

Writing has definitely become more complex as things have taken off. It used to feel like this private thing only a few people would hear, and now it’s this big, exposed part of myself out there for everyone—including my mum, my grandma, my old teachers—scary! I try to ignore how it’ll be perceived, but it’s almost impossible. I’m learning that a song doesn’t always have to be a deep soul-baring experience. Sometimes it’s more about how easy it is to scream along to or feel on the first listen. Balancing that is a new challenge for me.

Performing, though, has been all about getting braver. I’ve realized that people want a show—they want permission to go mad. The more energy I bring, the more they give back, so I’m always working to make my live set as fun and seamless as possible. I’m still learning, figuring it all out as I go, I’m independent so I don’t have anyone giving me the answers, I pick up tips from artists I see or am lucky enough to get to support. And I’m crossing my fingers for way more support slots next year.

4. You’ve been described by Rolling Stone as ‘an artist you have to meet,’ and BBC Introducing has spotlighted you as ‘One to Watch.’ How do these recognitions impact your drive and confidence as an artist?

Honestly, having such iconic names recognize me as an artist makes all the chaos worth it. I wish I could say I didn’t need the validation, but it’s such a boost. It feels like a big green light to keep going. I found so many of my favourite artists through Rolling Stone and BBC Introducing, and now to think I’m one of the artists they’re talking about? It’s surreal.

It’s easy to forget that people are always on the lookout for their next favourite artist or song, and who says it can’t be me? This work demands an insane level of self-belief, and it doesn’t always come naturally to me. So having that recognition is like, ‘okay, yeah, I’m really doing this.’

5. Looking ahead to your upcoming 10-track EP in 2024, what can fans expect in terms of themes and sound? Will it reflect the same emotional depth we hear in ‘You Drove An Hour Trip’?

I can barely hold in my excitement for what’s coming next. The themes and sounds are ramping up. I’ve put out songs in a way that eases people into what’s coming because things are about to get heavier. ‘Sober Hope’ and ‘You Drove An Hour Trip’ (my releases so far from this EP) still sound like me, but there’s an added intensity. The next releases really crank it up, diving into self-sabotage, heartbreak, friendships falling apart. My next single, I Would, out November 6th, is an epic rock song about self sabotage. I’m loving this new direction and really hope listeners will too. The EP will also have live, stripped-back versions of all the songs, which is a little nod to my first release ‘Fair Enough’ and my folk roots. It gives the lyrics some room to breathe, which I love because words are where I started.