Words by Keane Fletcher

I believe it was the late, great, and famously queer playwright Tennessee Williams who once said:

'I suppose I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge upon hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person. But these seemingly fragile people are the strong people really.'

This sentiment, of finding strength and resolve in the most unlikely of places, has been the driving force for many a queer artist since the beginning of time; a resolution born of necessity, and a tradition that has been continued and expanded upon in Sydney-based alt-pop troubadour Ravxn's ‘A Fragile Thing’, the latest release from their upcoming EP, 'ACT I: INNOCENCE & OBSESSION'.

An experienced performer, if you don't already know RavxN from their first single, 'Chemical Dreams (Stay With Me)', you might recognise them from various shows in and around Sydney, such as the Genesian Theatre production of Much Ado About Nothing; as the Musical Director and MC of New Theatre's Mardi Gras Season show, F*cking Men; at the Town Hall Hotel’s Mardi Gras Afterparty; or from their numerous music performances including the Marrickville Festival, The Basement, Australian Music Week Festival, Youth Music Festival, and Guy Sebastian's Luna Park Christmas Fundraiser. A fierce advocate for both mental health and Queer rights and spaces, RavxN also works closely with Sydney’s queer community, coordinating live events for Stonewall Hotel as well as for other LGBTIQA+ friendly spaces around the city.

Blending this diverse musical background with a passion for dark pop, 'A Fragile Thing' is Ravxn's moody meditation on obsessive love and insecurity, gently balancing electro-indie synth with theatrical orchestration and pointedly tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Think Troye Sivan by way of Placebo with a bit of Bernstein thrown in for good measure. 

Not only that, but RavxN has also dropped the accompanying video to the song, a suitably gothic and genderqueer-ed melodrama (directed by Caleb Rodda of Portrait Films) about lost love, self-worth, and the price we pay for laying ourselves bare. Check it out above. And go stream 'A Fragile Thing' now on all good streaming services across Australia!

 Thanks for stopping by Hipland!