The Newcastle based indie specialist Melanie Baker has officially signed to Tambourhinoceros and is celebrating the news by sharing her brand new single, ‘Sad Clown’, which is out today. This track marks her first release since her acclaimed debut EP, ‘Burnout Baby’, and provides the first exciting reveal from the newcomer’s debut album set to land in 2026. Baker’s credentials as a raw, evocative lyricist and a crafter of catchy earworm choruses are candidly showcased through her emotional work throughs of love, depression, and exhaustion. In ‘Sad Clown’, the musician serves up an early dramedy manifesto for her forthcoming new material, constructing engaging pop out of melancholy and offering a much more optimistic tone.
Baker’s phenomenal live prowess is certainly developing at an impressive rate, fresh from supporting groups like The Wytches and Maximo Park in recent times, as well as playing a Mercury Prize Fringe showcase gig in Newcastle. She is primed to build on early praise from influential outlets like The Line Of Best Fit, Dork Magazine, Rough Trade, and La Blogotheque. Additionally, she has received extensive radio support from BBC Introducing on BBC Radio 1 and from Shakk in the North East, alongside airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music, where she participated in an in studio interview with Steve Lamacq.
Speaking ahead of the release, Baker provided deep insight into the track and her creative process: “I wrote this song because I felt like I was becoming a caricature of myself. I was constantly trying to be a better version of myself and ironically lost myself in the process. I don’t want to hide behind complicated metaphors and flowery words. I want to say exactly how I feel. It’s the only way I know how to work through my shit, it’s the only way I can understand myself and keep moving forward. I am a sad clown. I write songs about being depressed and make bad dad jokes in between. I like making people laugh AND cry. I like being an emotional rollercoaster. It makes me feel human, and whole. I used to think I had to choose what kind of person I should be and then I realised I can show up exactly as I am.”