Fresh from a support slot with indie darlings Congratulations, Suffolk-based solo artist Gabby Rivers returns with the electrifying grunge-pop stomper ‘Lipstick Karma’ – a fierce, emotionally-charged release that firmly cements her as one of the UK’s most exciting emerging voices.
Since her debut spin on BBC Radio 1 in late 2023, Rivers has been steadily gaining momentum, selling out shows across the South East and turning heads on the national scene with her genre-blurring, emotionally resonant sound. With ‘Lipstick Karma’, she shifts gears into edgier terrain—grunge-tinged pop-rock with a venomous bite and a melodic backbone built for singalongs and scream-it-out car rides alike.
The track opens with warbly, chorus-soaked guitars and tight, boxy drums, giving way to eerie processed vocals in the pre-chorus. Then comes the payoff: a euphoric, distorted explosion of a chorus that blends pop smarts with full-throttle emotion. It’s raw, infectious, and impossible to ignore.
Gabby explains: “The single Lipstick Karma comes from a time when I was pouring everything into a relationship. I truly felt like I helped that person grow—I was there through it all. But when my mental health declined, they used that against me. It turned toxic, and I eventually walked away.
After the breakup, it felt like karma hit them hard. I got this weird, validating feeling, like my conscience was saying, ‘Told you so.’
The writing process was easygoing. We’d already finished the EP, and one evening at home, Stan and I had time to write. No pressure—just a song about something we both understood. ‘Monsters crept in, let you slip by’ is my favourite lyric. The ‘monsters’ are mental health struggles, and how I let that person’s mistakes slide. Once we had that line, we added creepy vocal effects, and the rest of the track came together in under an hour. We were buzzing—listening to the demo while making dinner.
Most of the song was made in the house, which felt perfect. The same kitchen I cried in became the place I wrote about it. That full-circle moment was so satisfying.”
Listen below: