In the third line of singles, all dedicated to various female figures important to the band, London-based quintet Wednesday’s Child are dedicating their newest song, “Ronnie,” to the late lead singer of The Ronettes, Ronnie Spector. A tasteful blend of surviving 60s swing music and early 00s punk-rock sleaze, the band had been playing the song at various UK gigs, becoming something of a centerpiece that demonstrates their diverse tastes and wide-ranging skills. Typically, they explore rather fantastical subject matters under their gothic visage, making this new single all the more special.
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“Ronnie” helps the band expose a far more gentle side compared to their previous single, “Paula.” While that one aims to rage on riots, “Ronnie” speaks to their inspirations in a loving homage to Spector. It’s important to note the song is not nihilistic or written from a negative space. Instead, the lyrics seemingly come from a defeated sense of disappointment that disappears with the help of Spector’s music. Thanks to a swing rhythm on the piano and drums that march to the guitar’s lead, “Ronnie” respects two wildly different musical genres while the lyrics ebb and flow through the messy webs of relationships.
Georgia Williams, the band’s lead singer, possesses a voice that sounds like a traditional pop artist from the 1950s, if they were born in the body of a rock and roll frontwoman, carrying a demanding yet delicate presence comparable to Spector’s “rock ‘n’ roll bad girl” reputation.
“Ronnie” and the two singles released prior make up an upcoming EP entitled Seven Sisters. Thus far, all three make it hard to condense the band into one genre, proving there’s more to them than other rock bands.
When speaking about the track’s inception on Instagram, they said, “Our song is from the perspective of someone feeling lost in love and nostalgic for what could have been, then finding hope through Ronnie’s music.” Though from a different corner of music history, Spector has helped the band establish themselves as a five-piece that can come together and bring something new to the indie music table, all without forgetting their inspirations.
Words: David Sosa
“Ronnie” by Wednesday’s Child is out on all streaming services. For more on the band’s EP and live shows in the UK, follow them on Instagram.
