Maple Glider is the new project of singer-songwriter Tori Zietsch. The first we get to hear from this new artist is the single ‘As Tradition’. It’s a song about yielding to expectations – not willingly, but with knowledge of the inevitable; and about being seen but not heard. Listen HERE.

As Maple Glider explains: “I was raised from birth in quite a restrictive religious household. When I moved away from Australia and left the supportive community I have at home here in Melbourne, I realised that I hadn’t really processed a lot of the ways that I’d been affected by it. Going through my last break-up I could draw a lot of parallels between the feelings I’d had participating in the religion as I’d had in that particular relationship. I felt my identity kind of dissolve in order to appease what my partner at the time needed from me, and in a way, I began performing for the idea of love and acceptance instead of trusting my intuition. There was definitely a strong element of gaslighting in both situations and I guess writing the song was a way of coming to that understanding and forming a resolution to grow from those experiences.”

The song is accompanied by a video Maple Glider made with her housemate Bridgette Winten. Shot on Super 8 at home, it shows Zietsch setting up for a party alone – complete with costume changes and balloons.

Hailing from Lismore as a child and Brisbane after school, Zietsch relocated to Melbourne to be ensconced in the music community. Partnering up with co-expat childhood friend, producer Daniel Pinkerton, the duo formed Seavera, pairing acoustic guitars and wonky uprights with dramatic electronics. In late 2017 Seavera won the very first Pie School initiative – demos were sent in and the winner worked with the team from Pieater on recording a song and receiving business advice. However, the song that was recorded was never released. Instead, Seavera parted ways soon after releasing an EP, with Zietsch moving to the musical seaside town of Brighton, U.K. It was there she began to work on solo material…

After experiencing falling in and out of love, traveling extensively, writing non-stop, and basking in the lengthy European summer hours, she returned to Melbourne late 2019 with a SoundCloud account full to capacity of demo uploads. Maple Glider was officially set to take flight.

Having loved the experience of recording with Tom Iansek (Big Scary, #1 Dads, No Mono) back during Pie School, Ziestch enlisted him to produce and record some of the many, many songs she was ready to get down. During the shared time spent at Pieater’s studio ‘BellBird’ with Iansek, the wider team got to fully appreciate the wonderful artistry and beauty of Maple Glider and welcomed her to the family. The first taste of these sessions comes in the form of debut single ‘As Tradition’.

‘As Tradition‘ by Maple Glider is out now, buy/stream it here.
For our friends at community radio, you can also download the track via AMRAP here.

LYRICS
Love is just a word I have learned I may use at my own expense
Bible study earned me the right to be alone, in my own defence   

Come to pretty, pull back my limbs
It’s the oldest tradition known to my skin

I can be soft, when I am disarmed
I can be just what you want

Love is just a word, love is just a word, love is just a word
Don’t say that you mean it, come on baby, we both know that that’s absurd
(when you love me like this, when I can’t move my lips)

Come to pretty, hold back my arms
It’s the oldest tradition known to my heart

I can be soft, when I am disarmed
I can be just what you want

You want me soft
You and God baby love me the best
When I’m laid to rest
And only my body is left

Come to pretty, pull back my limbs
It’s the oldest tradition known to my skin

I can be soft, when I am disarmed
I can be just what you want

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