Channelling the joys and curiosities of childhood, Australian duo Ella Sterland (aka Ella Minnow) and guitarist Renee Stein have built up a reputation for creating playfully nostalgic indie-pop gems over the past few years. Dreaming Soda have just cracked open another fresh can of fizzy indie goodness, ‘Kissing Stacey’, which has already become a fan favourite at live shows across Sydney and Melbourne. Inspired by Alexander Avila’s viral video essay Overanalyzing the Barbie Movies with Queer Marxist Theory, ‘Kissing Stacey’ takes the cultural icon of Barbie and reframes her as both a capitalist commodity and a vector for queer self-discovery. Through this shimmering sonic vessel, the duo takes intellectual concepts and makes them accessible, a bit cheeky and joyful, all while not losing the importance of Avila’s original message. Produced at Hercules Studios in Sydney and mastered by Becki Whitton, the track is built from lo-fi dream-pop textures, bouncy guitar riffs and warm vocal tones that soften out the lyrics’ sarcastic edges. For all that polished professionalism, this track still has Dreaming Soda’s signature DIY charm as its central pillar, making it perfect for sing-shouting along with your pals or playing for your solo bedroom dance party. So without further ado, here’s out recent chat with the Dreaming Soda duo.
Welcome to Unrecorded! For those who aren’t already familiar with Dreaming Soda, can you introduce yourselves?
Of course! So Dreaming Soda is our duo name, and we are Ella (Singer, Writer), and Renee (Guitar, Bass). We are music collaborators who have worked together for almost 10 years on different projects, but Dreaming Soda is definitely our favourite place to hang out and make fun music
Your new single ‘Kissing Stacey’ was inspired by a video essay on Barbie—can you tell us more about how that connection sparked the song?
I found the content of Alexander’s “Queer Marxist Theory of Barbie” essay so relatable and fascinating, that the lyrics and content of Kissing Stacey just fell out of me so easily! It was an idea I had been playing with, the queer exploration of Barbies, but the wider connection to capitalism and gluttony were definitely inspired by the video.
Why did you decide to release this track as its own single rather than with your recent EP?
I really wanted to give Kissing Stacey its own world, and it has taken up so much visual and creative space that I couldn’t imagine it being cramped on the EP. The EP was such a special story, but Kissing Stacey was the next chapter
How do you keep that DIY feeling in your music through the production and mastering process?
I love to take field samples and include them in the release, little recordings here and there for texture, I feel like that makes things feel really DIY. I also love to make content that feels creative and expressive, lots of craft and silliness!
Can you tell us about finding the balance between tongue-in-cheek playfulness and deeper social commentary?
The balance is definitely clear in the structure, the choruses are about making Barbies kiss each other, the verses are about capitalism. It doesn’t all make linear sense, but let’s not worry too much about that
Did Barbie have any significance in your own childhoods?
I (Ella) had a few Barbies growing up, but I was very into Bratz dolls actually. I had friends with so many amazing dolls, and I would always look forward to making my own Barbies and Bratz kiss them; like they were visiting a new town or something.
‘Kissing Stacey’ has become such a fan favourite at your live shows, what was it like road-testing the track with audiences?
It’s been so much fun, people sing the lyrics after the first chorus, and always ask me when it’s coming out, so it’s such a dream come true that it’s finally here! It’s so wonderful to see people enjoy a new song at a live show, so I’m looking forward to playing it now that people have been able to finally here it!
You’ve also found a really supportive community through Kickstarter, do you have any advice for bands who are thinking about fundraising for their own project?
I say go for it! You might be surprised to see how much your community show up for you, or even people you’ve never met! Get creative with the rewards, and if you don’t make your goal everyone gets refunded so no real loss!
How does this single fit into the wider world you’re building with Dreaming Soda?
I love adding to the whimsical playful world of nostalgia and chaos, and Kissing Stacey is definitely a chapter in that story. It’s fun and playful and stands alongside our other releases really beautifully
Following the release of your latest single, what will be next on the horizon for you?
We have some songs we are very excited about, maybe it’s time for another Kickstarter?
You can also listen to ‘Kissing Stacey’ in our Shades of Pop playlist.
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