Track By Track: My Chérie Breaks Down Her New EP ‘Life is Short & Life is Long’
South Aussie alt-pop artist My Chérie explains the stories and inspirations behind the songs on her latest EP, Life is Short & Life is Long.
Words Tobias Handke // Image supplied
SA’s own alt-pop superstar My Chérie returns with her much-anticipated new EP Life is Short & Life is Long. Described as “her most vulnerable and sonically immersive work yet”, the EP features five incredible tracks cycling through themes of identity, expectation and healing.
Previous singles ‘Life Is’, which was nominated for a South Australian Music Award for Best Song, and ‘Dishes in the Sink’, which received airplay on triple j Unearthed, highlight My Chérie’s growth as an artist, with the focus single ‘Box of Pencils’ another relatable personal statement from the local creative.
Opening up to The Note about her songwriting process and vision of the EP, My Chérie breaks down Life Is Short & Life Is Long track by track, revealing more about what went into each song.
Track By Track: Life is Short & Life is Long
1. ‘Life Is’
The EP opens with ‘Life Is’, beginning on an outward gaze — reflecting on the collective human experience and our shared search for meaning. I wrote it after spending many months in my head, on a flight home after travelling for three months. When I got home, I picked up a guitar and the melodies just flowed with the lyrics. I recorded the vocals and guitar as a demo that night, then later added all the layers with producer and musician Mario Spate.
2. ‘On My Mind’
From there, “On My Mind” moves inward — capturing the ache and healing that come in the aftermath of heartbreak. I wrote the guitar part in a different tuning one night when I got home late and needed some comfort. I quietly sang the melodies, not wanting to wake anyone. The next morning, I went into the studio, and the final version ended up very close to that original demo — recorded in complete flow state. Later on, we added saxophone by Nicole Hobson and other production touches with my teammate on this record, Mario Spate.
This song has evolved into something slightly different live and I’ll be releasing a live version with my band recorded at Wizard Tone — thanks to Nexus Arts.
3. ‘Child Again’
“Child Again” follows with a sense of nostalgia and renewal — a longing for the simplicity and safety of childhood while finding peace in growth. It was the last song I recorded for the EP. Many others didn’t make the cut or just felt like they belonged in a different sonic world. Once I understood what this EP really was, I wrote this one. I’ve never played it live, and it feels like a special little secret that only exists within this record.
4. ‘Dishes in the Sink’
With “Dishes in the Sink,” I turn the lens toward the personal — confronting dynamics with loved ones and ongoing trauma with honesty and grace. This one feels like a big emotional release. There’s a rawness and desperation in the lyrics that I’ve never shown before. It carries the weight of being a people pleaser, of struggling with mental health and unhealthy coping, and the deep desire for freedom. I recorded and produced the first half myself and originally thought it ended before the big section. When I showed my band, we miscommunicated at a rehearsal, and the “interrupting guitar” moment came out of a total accident — but I ended up loving it and decided to build the big release around that. This version wouldn’t have existed without Mario Spate’s creative input.
5. ‘Box of Pencils’
The EP closes with “Box of Pencils,” a reflection on faith, identity, and freedom. It tells my story of growing up under Christian expectations as a queer person of faith, and the courage it takes to live authentically and outside of a box. It’s by far the scariest thing I’ve ever shared with the world. I’ve always hated boxes — but sometimes labeling myself through those boxes feels like an act of courage, a way to find community, and a practice of being courageous and honest.
Even though this song comes from that personal angle, it’s really for anyone who has grieved versions of themselves that no longer exist — whether that’s through societal expectations, the ending of a relationship, changing countries or jobs, deciding not to be a mother and mourning the version of you that would have existed if you had chosen to, or if your child doesn’t become the person you once imagined in your own head. It’s about that grief, and the process of letting go.
Life is Short & Life is Long by My Chérie is out now. Catch My Chérie performing the EP in full with a live band at Nexus Arts on Saturday 22 November. Tickets on sale via nexusarts.org.au.
