Merpire Unveils Transformative New Album ‘Milk Pool’ and Sells Out Melbourne Shows
Naarm/Melbourne alt-pop artist Merpire has released her highly anticipated sophomore album Milk Pool, delivering a deeply personal and sonically adventurous collection of tracks. Known offstage as Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt, Merpire invites listeners into a cinematic world of dark-pop melodies, unconventional rhythms, and moody synths—crafted for romantics, dreamers, and those navigating life’s turning points.
Produced alongside James Seymour (Pillow Queens, Elizabeth M. Drummond) and featuring contributions from James Dring (Nilüfer Yanya, Genesis Owusu), Milk Pool explores themes of self-discovery, community, and emotional resilience. Tracks like the vibrant focus single Fishing celebrate friendship and the unwavering support of the artist community, while songs such as Premonition and Leaving With You dive into crushes, change, and healing past wounds.
Merpire describes Milk Pool as a reflection of “finding home and displacement,” capturing her experiences of growth since her globally praised debut Simulation Ride (2021). The record is rich with vivid imagery, 90s-inspired guitar tones, and emotional depth, solidifying her place as one of Australia’s most dynamic indie voices.
“I recently overheard a quote by the Russian composer Rachmaninov on writing music. He said, ‘It should be the product of the sum total of a composer’s experiences’. It was comforting to find such correlating eternal values in music between myself – a female, queer, Australian contemporary artist living in the 21st century and a male, straight, composer who lived in the 19th-century. Like life, the only constant on this record is change. MILK POOL is finding home and displacement. While I’ve written lyrics and created production elements to fit my emotional connection with the personal meaning of each song, the album is open to interpretation. Why put a song in a box when art is meant to be free? MILK POOL has served my needs to express myself and my experiences. It is now literally “released” as an open gift for whoever wants to listen to explore their own meanings and emotions.”. – Merpire.
To celebrate the release, Merpire will embark on a run of intimate solo shows across VIC, NSW, QLD, and ACT this August, with Naarm/Melbourne’s two dates selling out in under 72 hours. She’ll also appear at Town Folk Festival this November.
Milk Pool sees Merpire step into a bold new era, one that’s as fearless as it is vulnerable. This is a record that refuses to be boxed in, offering fans an open invitation to interpret and connect in their own way.
CATCH MERPIRE LIVE
Sun 6 Jul – Soundmerch – Naarm/Melbourne, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country VIC
Fri 15 Aug – Junk Bar – Magandjin/Brisbane, Turrbal Country QLD
Sat 16 Aug – Lazy Thinking – Eora/Sydney, Gadigal & Wangal Country NSW
Sat 17 Aug – Smith’s Alternative – Ngambri/Canberra, Ngunnawal Country ACT
Thurs 21 Aug – Merri Creek Tavern – Naarm/Melbourne, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country VIC **SOLD OUT IN UNDER 24HRS
Thu 28 Aug – Merri Creek Tavern – Naarm/Melbourne, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country VIC **SOLD OUT IN UNDER 48HRS
Sat 15 Nov – Town Folk Festival, Castlemaine, Dja Dja Wurrung Country VIC
