Artist Name: Molly Payton

Release Name - YOYOTTA

Release Date - 30 August, 2024

Genre - Indie, Alternative

London-based, Kiwi artist Molly Payton has today released her debut album YOYOTTA, named after the title track You’re On Your Own This Time, Again.  

Singer, songwriter and musician Molly Payton has quickly established herself as a prolific name both in New Zealand and worldwide. Moving from New Zealand to London at age 16, Molly embraced the indie/alternative rock scene with a string of EP’s including Mess, Porcupine, Slack and Compromise, which she describes as a “diary of sorts”. Her music encourages a cathartic emotional response, the songs ranging from heartfelt acoustic ballads to grungy rock anthems.  

Off the back of touring with a number of artists including Beabadoobee, Arlo Parks, Alex G, Tom Odell and Palace and playing sets at Primavera, Laneway, Pitchfork Paris, and most recently All Points East, the second half of 2024 will see Payton embark on a headline tour of the UK and Europe following the release of her album. 

Payton’s debut full length album YOYOTTA, named after the title track “You’re On Your Own This Time, Again”, is a deeply personal project that depicts the artist at her most vulnerable. While struggling to navigate the music industry as a teenager, Payton’s father was sent to prison and her life was in disarray. 

Never wanting to lose sight of her career, Payton never took time to process this loss and avoided touching on it in her music, “when it happened, I had just released my first music and started to find my footing in the industry, and I felt as if by pausing and taking the time I needed to process it all I'd be giving up my ‘shot’. So, I kept pushing through, releasing and avoiding it.”

In 2022, when Payton had left her record label and returned to her childhood home in New Zealand to figure out her next steps, she found herself ready to process this upheaval and YOYOTTA was born. “By this point I hadn’t been able to write property in about a year. I felt so lost, and suddenly this great big shadow that had been following me around felt unavoidable.” 

Payton found that taking time to think about what happened - how it had begun to influence the way she connected with other people and the habits she’d picked up to avoid dealing with the pain, the songs just flowed out. 

Payton’s longtime collaborator and friend Oscar Lang flew in from the UK and together they co-produced the record over a month in friends’ bedrooms, at Payton’s house and by making use of downtime in studios.  

The album, which Payton describes as her best work yet, wouldn’t have been possible without the kindness and love of music from so many talented people. At its core, YOYOTTA is about finding freedom in being lost, and finding hope in the people around you. 

YOYOTTA is available for pre-order and streaming now on all major platforms.

TRACK LIST

Asphalt

Benchwarmer

You’re On Your Own This Time Again

A Hand Held Strong

Thrown Over

Accelerate

Devotion

Doing Our Worst

Teenage Bedroom Floor

Get Back To You