GINNY LEMON SAYS WAKE THE FUCK UP ON NEW SINGLE ‘DING DONG’
Singer-songwriter, improvisational comedienne, TV personality, spiritualist and iconic queen from UK Drag Race season 2, Ginny Lemon shares their brand new single ‘Ding Dong’, out on 24 June. The track is taken from their upcoming new album ‘Tonic’, set for release on 5 August.
To celebrate the release of the album, Ginny has teamed up with south London’s favourite campy hot spot The Royal Vauxhall Tavern for an evening of music and debauchery.
Working with their partner and album co-creator Some Little Cakes (Jack Collingridge) and long term collaborator Luke Elliott who does sound for video games, the trio wanted to create something that could pass for a new Nokia, maybe even iPhone alarm sound. Ginny also collaborated with animator Jordan Fallas to create their very own avatar which features in the album artwork and in the Ding Dong music video.
Speaking of the track, Ginny says, “I wrote this song after working a succession of horrendous admin jobs, particularly at some universities around the West Midlands, naming no names, they know who they are. I was hounded out one job for being, gay, the next for grieving too long for my dead sister, then the next was for being too depressed and disabled. This sound is about hearing the sound of your alarm, that space in between sleep and waking, and how the alarm sound can trigger you into remembering you have to go to work, earn money, and take whatever abuse you get in order to pay the bills.
The message is clear, WAKE UP! Don’t take that shit anymore, walk away from harmful people and harmful workplaces - if you don’t you’ll end up even more depressed, it’s scary but sometimes you need to take a leap of faith in order to gain your own self respect.
Ginny’s upcoming new album ‘Tonic’ does exactly what it says on the tin. In true Ginny fashion - what you see is what you get. They want the album to be a ‘tonic’ for everything that’s been happening in their own personal life but also for the turmoils we have faced collectively as humans over the last few years - tories, brexit, covid - you name it!
“I needed to write something that is slightly optimistic but realistically pissed off. Some songs have been with me for years, some are fresh for the album, this is also my attempt to make a post drag race pop album, and milk any residual 5 minutes of fame I have left, it won’t do so well and will be overlooked but nonetheless it is my Tonic and hopefully some other peoples too.”
As a child, Ginny was obsessed with ABBA, Diana Ross and the Supremes and all things motown, forcing all their childhood friends into performing old 70s hits at every school talent show. As a teenager, their sister introduced them to Tori Amos, Kate Bush & Bjork - and their life changed forever. “Music will always be my saviour, so I wish to honour that and to try and keep trying to make music that other people can enjoy as much as enjoy being a listener.”
Today, their work explores the intersections of their working class identity, queerness, disability and taking the piss. Ginny’s distinct acidic wit, aesthetic and unique perspective on life have made them one of the UK’s most celebrated drag artists.