Live Report: Trophy Wife on the Hot Press Y&E Series

Dublin performer Trophy Wife (real name Ruby Smyth) offered a dazzling penultimate performance on the Y&E Series on Sunday night (September 19), capping off a brilliant weekend of live talent.

Fresh out of college, Trophy Wife released her debut EP, Art, last year.
 Despite drawing influence from a wide range of musical influences – including jazz, pop and classic rock – her sound fits convincingly alongside her popular contemporaries, like King Princess, Clairo and Lizzo. Following the release of her acclaimed EP last year, Trophy Wife returned earlier this summer with her latest single, 'Good Love'.

Kicking off her set with an unreleased song titled 'I Need A Muse', Smyth uses a DIY indie guitar melody and melancholic lyrics to capture her audience with ease. Her trademark poetic wordplay and soft vocals curate the hypnotic atmosphere, allowing her listeners to focus on the meaning behind the track on a deeper level. The track itself speaks to the desire to be understood and fully seen by another person, with relatable themes permeating much of Trophy Wife's work.

Moving into rockier territory (after receiving deserved compliments for her sound design), Smyth then delves into 'Beauty Queen' from her Art EP - out now on Bandcamp. It's easy to see why this track stands out from the crowd, harking to the likes of Beabadoobee and Clairo in terms of a diaristic use of phrasing and lo-fi sonic ambience.

A cover of Justin Bieber's 'U Smile' on the keyboard is up next, delivered with style and laidback, soulful vocals. Switching back to her Fender guitars, Smyth offers up another unreleased song, this time untitled. The track describes trying to escape those reminders of a past romance that come back to haunt you in the present day, a feeling most of us know all too well. It's about an experience with a person that suddenly becomes a story you never tell; we're insanely excited for the song's release.

Smyth then performs 'Apartment' from her eclectic Art EP, a favourite of Hot Press' on the project, before leading into a cover of Snail Mail's latest single 'Valentine'. Making the track her own, it doesn't seem to matter that she freestyles the chords. Lastly, Trophy Wife concludes her charismatic set with her own favourite song: 'Birthday'. The smart alt-pop song nods to the likes of MUNA and Prince, showing off the producer and multi-instrumentalist's keen eye for detail and emotional maturity.

Check out Trophy Wife's full performance below:

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The Hot Press Y&E Series is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Watch the performances every night on the Hot Press Instagram (@hotpressmagazine) at 7.30pm.

Take a look at our final act on the current series below:

Monday, September 20: FLYNN

Hailing from Mullingar, singer-songwriter Flynn has rapidly established himself as a popstar-on-the rise. With a sound driven by pulsating electronic undercurrents, he teamed up with Belgian act Lost Frequencies on their tropical house single 'Recognise' in 2019 – a track that has since clocked up over 48 million streams on Spotify alone. Last year, Flynn released his lauded solo EP, One Of Us.