Blame Brett by The Beaches opens with an oath:
Done being the sad girl
I'm done dating rockstars
As the hit track off of the album 'Blame My Ex', the song isn't just a disaffected ditty. It heralds a coming-to-be, a life that unfurls with possibility after men. Life after an ex. It is, in every way, a chrysalis moment.
Anthemic and irreverent in song, the band takes its name after the suburban childhoods of the bandwomen. Ever since 'Blame Brett' topped the Canadian charts in September of last year, The Beaches knew they were on the cusp of something new. Something 40 million streams new, to be precise. And there's a multitude of reasons. The hit managed to rank for the third longest #1 reign in Canadian Alternative Radio history. The song also boasts the longest #1 stretch over the past five years.
Who are The Beaches?
The band of four women released their album Blame My Ex in September. They've netted the attention of Bebe Rexha and Renee Rapp. Nelly Furtado is also known to drop a comment or two on TikToks of their perforfmances. Now, The Beaches are down under for business. With added nights in Melbourne and an upgraded venue in Sydney, the band has cemented their icon status amongst Australians, selling out up and down the coast.
The chemistry between the band is palpable, but it comes with practice. Performing is a muscle that requires flexing to get tactile. The group knows this all too well, and are familiar with the shakiness that comes with pre-performance jitters. It took years of gig-work to get loosened up, and it's paid off: The Beaches have packed out iconic venues like The Troubadour and Red Rocks, as well as making a well-oiled performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Today, Metro Theatre. Tomorrow, Glastonbury.
A focal aspect of The Beach's culture lies in its dedication to platforming and playing alongside other women performers. They've opened for Girl In Red and G-Flip (no biggie), and also rubbed shoulders with Lotte Gallagher for their Australian leg. Ontario-based Thunder Queens, will be opening for them in Muskoka Canada this summer. In between playing sets across the nation, they made time to sneak a visit to Lone Pine Sanctuary in Brisbane. The kookaburras and koalas were a highlight. It had to be said.
Another feat? Appearing on the notorious Triple J's 'Like a Version', playing Djo's 'End of Beginning'.
The band says, "Well the song is incredible, like it’s just so good, so that was the first reason we wanted to play it cause it’s just a great song. But the lyrics of the song really resonated with me as well. It’s a song about capturing your youth in certain spaces in the city you grew up in, for Joe his city is Chicago, for me it’s Toronto."
On their own dream 'Like a Version' rotation, the answer is simple. Either Ethel Cain or Chappell Roan.
What's next?
Now that we’re officially at the half-way mark of 2024, anticipation mounts ahead of the final leg. What lies in wake? For the band, sleep is pulling on their mind. Lots of it. That, and the slew of Northern summer festivals coming their way. Above all, The Beaches are ready to transpose their infectious spirit and to introduce their lifework to new fans. We are ready for whatever this rock-and-roll quartet slings our way.
