Single Review: FairPlay by Castle Hughes
By Vince Leigh (Pseudo Echo, John Farnham, Tina Arena) for Sheldon Ang Media
Castle Hughes’s 2021 debut, Moving On was a contemporary dance-pop song that combined melodic power and lyrical finesse with a rousing vocal performance. The song was a finalist in the WAM Song of the Year Awards 14-17-year-old category in 2021. It was also the winner of the Youth Week Songwriting Competition for CALM, nominee in the International Songwriting Awards – Teen category, finalist in The UK Songwriting Contest – Teen Category and a semi-finalist in the WA Listen Up Music Songwriting Prize 2021.
Whereas Moving On reflected a coming-of-age experience that nonetheless resonated with a broader demographic, her new single, FairPlay, sees Castle extend this theme, a progression perhaps as natural as the slightly modified musical style adopted—think Florence and the Machine with a more refined pop edge, and you’re close. Castle’s new release reveals an evolution of her talents and abilities, utilising organic, retro and electro elements and textures to create a superb contemporary pop track with hooks, heart, and soulful energy.
As Castle says about her latest release, ‘This song was written during my last year of high school (2021). I was really struggling, seemed to be in conflict with everyone and felt not good enough. I had another argument with my mum, and this song kind of spewed out post-argument. I won a songwriting session with Ilan Kidron last year, and this was the song we worked on during our session. I recorded the song with Chad Blondel at Blondel Studios in July 2022.’
The track’s narrative is explored in the accompanying music video, which Castle worked on with collaborator and friend Ben L’Aiguille. As Castle says, ‘The story is about a girl who has a fight with her mum and runs away from home. She burns her childhood teddy bear during the argument, and as she drives, she keeps seeing people arguing whilst holding her burning bear.’ FairPlay looks set to be Castle Hughes’s break-out track, with its immediacy and self-assured performance and production.
