Single Review: No Follow Through

Te Whanganui a-Tara’s Bianca Bailey, better known as Wiri Donna, shares her enticing indie rock jam No Follow Through as an introduction to her hotly anticipated debut EP due for release later this year.

Its message insists that the only person with real expectations for you is you, making No Follow Through an excellent single as it offers something of a thesis statement for the quality of music Wiri Donna plans to share. Bailey’s voice has a gentle power and a lazy charm which makes it hard not to groove along in the verses, alongside the track’s nostalgic, laidback guitars and bright bass. 

This makes the surprising rhythmic and dynamic switch up to harder guitars and bashing drums in the chorus all the more exciting. Carefully placed whines of feedback and muttering backing vocals fill out the sound tremendously. The repeating hook, “no one expects you to follow through”, is as sticky as honey, looping in your head for days after hearing the track, and influences from acts like The Beths and Mermaidens are undeniable. No Follow Through eventually builds to a huge outro, as distressing as it is danceable, and the song’s emotion is palpable. It’s worth noting the unique accompanying music video too, made by directory duo Sports Team, as it gives the song an added layer of both campy fun and emotional horror.

No Follow Through is yet another fantastic release under Aotearoa’s expansive indie catalogue. Wiri Donna is clearly a force to be reckoned with, and with more music on its way, this artist is certainly not one to underrate.