Alt-pop newcomers Swan Su release debut single ‘Clay’
The London-based duo arrive with their first single.
Photo: Press
Since forming in 2024, London-based duo Swan Su (AKA Sarah Su and Will Goldsmith) have quickly built a cache of varied, unreleased music. Their newly released debut single, Clay, is our first insight into their world.
Clay is a subtle, comforting indie-bedroom track, pairing Su’s intimate and airy vocals with producer Goldsmith’s melodic bass lines. Early in their musical collaboration, Su and Goldsmith recognised an instant chemistry, an ability to play to each other’s strengths and musical identities, and a trust in one another’s creative instincts. The pair wrote Clay while they were continents apart, Goldsmith in London and Su visiting family in Australia. They created the track over FaceTime, sharing zip files and calling at random hours to write and compose together.
Su describes the process of writing Clay as a “stream-of-consciousness”, which became a reminder to release themself from the pressure they were experiencing to write songs and ignore creeping thoughts of doubt and perfectionist tendencies. Summarised aptly by the lyric “it’s just clay”, the song serves as a message to themself: “Don’t let the pressure of getting it right the first time stop you from doing it all”.
When they talk about their plans for the future, Swan Su said they are excited to share more of their “experimental leaning music” over the coming year, and hope to play some live shows in London soon.
Clay is an early offering of what is to come, a fantastic debut single, softly bursting with potential.
