Remy Bond welcomes listeners into her dreamy world filled with coconut bras, burlesque dancers, oversized wigs, and tropical blooms. On Friday, the rising pop artist released her debut EP, Backstage at the Tropicana, a project that celebrates the glamour and charm of Hollywood from the 1950s through the 1980s.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Kokomo; it sounds like the perfect place. Get ready for some burlesque on the beach,” she shares with Rolling Stone in a statement.
When creating the EP, Bond explained that she wanted it to represent her musical identity so far while also “setting the tone” for what comes next. The collection features earlier singles such as “Star Shaped Baby,” “Summer Song,” and “Moviestar,” alongside new tracks “Hawaiian Dream,” “Skin Tight Jeans,” and “Orlando.”
“I’ve always believed nostalgia is the most powerful emotion. I had a beautiful childhood, and I think I idealize that feeling the same way I do the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s,” she says. “Even though the past fades, I try to make each song a reminder of those vanishing moments. One might take you to a 50s diner, another on a Hawaiian honeymoon.”
The singer, who was named one of Rolling Stone’s Artists You Need to Know earlier this year, is preparing for a European tour in celebration of the record. “I want to create a perfume that captures the essence of this album. I want to smell like an 80s motel,” she reveals. “I’m developing a scent for the Tropicana merchandise right now.”
During the creative process, Bond said she drew significant inspiration from her experiences while experimenting with mushrooms alongside her producer Jules Apolinaire. “Every trip gave us something new creatively. We wrote ‘Movie Star’ during one of them,” she shared over the summer. “We realized that when we took mushrooms, we could make so many great songs. So each time, we went into full album mode.”
