Geelong’s own Wild Gloriosa is stepping into the spotlight with the release of her stunning debut EP ‘Growing Pains’ and trust us, it’s one for the heart, the headphones, and the soul.
Navigating your early 20s can feel like being tossed in the deep end without a life jacket. But Growing Pains doesn’t shy away from the messy bits — instead, it embraces them. It’s raw, reflective, and impossibly smooth, carried by Gloria’s liquid vocals and the kind of production that knows when to hold back and when to shine. Think late-night RnB/neo-soul with jazz touches and a heap of heart.
Wild Gloriosa ‘Growing pains’
- Release date: Thursday 24 April
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Produced by Naarm-based keyboardist Jake Amy and bassist Anthony Liddell, the soundscape is warm, intimate, and deeply considered — but it never overshadows Gloria’s voice, which sits confidently at the centre of every track.
The EP opens with ‘All Wishes Come True’, a quietly powerful slow-burner about friendships unravelled by jealousy. Angelic keys and a warm bassline set the mood as Gloria glides through jazz-influenced vocal runs with an effortlessness that belies the song’s emotional weight.
On ‘In My Body’, things get even more vulnerable. A dreamy, harmony-laced exploration of depression and self-doubt, it’s also a call to community — the kind that holds you together when everything else feels like it’s falling apart.
‘Loud’ lifts the energy without losing depth — built on a head-nodding bassline, it’s Gloria reclaiming her space and celebrating the parts of herself she once tried to hide. “This one’s for anyone struggling to step into their authenticity,” she says. And you can hear that truth in every beat.
Then there’s ‘Oceans’, a bittersweet groove exploring love, light, and the painful realisation that not all relationships are made to last. It’s the kind of track you want to float away to — or cry to, depending on the day.
Closing the EP is ‘Keep Love Close’, a track that hits with both warmth and grief. Dedicated to a close friend who passed away, it’s a final reminder to cherish love while it’s here. With drums leading the way and sonic nods to artists like Lianne La Havas and Ego Ella May, it’s the perfect farewell — and a quiet promise of more to come.
If Growing Pains is anything to go by, Wild Gloriosa is just getting started. And we’re absolutely here for the ride.
