Markoe Unleashes a Breathtaking Debut With “Malta” in a Soul-Baring, Cinematic Masterclass Worthy of Applause
- STAFF
- May 16
- 3 min read
By: Staff
Spellbinding and emotionally fearless, Markoe delivers a debut that redefines vulnerability in pop.
We encountered the incredible artist Markoe and her latest release, “Malta,” and after one listen, it became instantly clear: she’s not just stepping onto the scene, she’s commanding it. Markoe thrives in the spotlight, and this track plants her exactly where she belongs, front and center, impossible to overlook.
The opening of “Malta” unfolds with a delicate, melancholic piano progression that draws you in from the first note. It’s not just played beautifully, it’s felt, and sets the tone for what becomes an emotionally immersive experience. When Markoe’s vocals enter, everything shifts. Her voice, soft and breathy, drifts in with haunting intimacy. It immediately brought to mind the ethereal stylings of Billie Eilish, but with a weight that’s entirely her own. Then we hear:
“I’m the only one awake now / drowning in my own thoughts / I thought I was happy / but I cry alone on the balcony”
These lines cut deep. Markoe lays herself bare, channeling quiet suffering into bold, emotional resonance. There’s a sense that by making herself vulnerable, she’s doing more than just telling her story. She’s reaching out to those who need to know they aren’t alone.
The kind of raw honesty that pulses through “Malta” isn’t performative. It’s therapeutic for both the artist and the listener.
What elevates the song even further is Markoe’s masterful control of her vocal dynamics. Her voice doesn't just carry the emotion, it embodies it. With striking restraint, she moves through the track with breathy confessions, eventually revealing her longing for the spotlight and the roar of screaming crowds. But it’s not ego, it’s yearning. There’s an aching sincerity to it all, a need to fill the void with meaning, connection, and recognition. As the song develops, that same vocal restraint gives way to a gradual swell, building toward a powerful release that feels both cinematic and personal. This isn’t just a song. It’s an unfiltered offering of who she is.
As the piano lingers in the background like a gentle echo, Markoe’s vocals begin to glide and drift, intertwining with the instrumental in a dance that feels weightless but charged. Each word feels placed with care, each note intentional. You don’t just hear the pain, the passion, the longing, you feel it.
When the track rises to its emotionally charged crescendo, it’s nothing short of breathtaking. Markoe reaches her most exposed moment, fusing the fragility of her voice with the soft piano in a sonic climax that commands silence and attention. It’s a scene-stealing moment of dramatic beauty, the kind that sends chills.
Discovering Markoe through “Malta” feels like stumbling onto something rare. She is an artist who isn’t afraid to bleed on the track and show you the wound. Her voice, the arrangement, the atmosphere, and above all, the truth of the performance come together in something deeply moving. This isn’t just a debut. It’s an arrival. We’re already impatient to hear where she takes us next.
“Malta” by Markoe is a hauntingly beautiful triumph that radiates raw emotion and technical brilliance.
Markoe emerges from Melbourne’s creative underground, a former primary school teacher who now steps into the music world with the same sensitivity and intention she once brought to the classroom.
Her debut single, “Malta,” marks a bold entrance into a soundscape shaped by emotion, elegance, and cinematic minimalism. Written alone on a balcony in the early hours during a family trip, the song captures the tension between quiet domesticity and the relentless hunger for creative fulfillment.
Her sonic identity bridges ambient pop with raw confessionals, channeling the atmospheric restraint of Billie Eilish and the intimate storytelling of early Missy Higgins. She fuses these influences with her own distinctly moody aesthetic: dark, feminine, and undeniably self-assured. The track was co-written with her vocal coach Caisha Sprout, whose piano work breathes life into the song’s heartbeat. Longtime collaborator Drest sculpted the production into something both grand and deeply intimate. Markoe recorded her vocals in her own DIY studio, which further cemented her hands-on approach to every element of the process.
She first previewed “Malta” at RSOM’s open mic and followed with a striking live performance at Lona in St Kilda, continuing to build momentum. Markoe doesn’t just make music. She builds emotional moments meant to linger long after the song ends. With a mission to create art that’s tender yet powerful and unafraid of emotional exposure, she is carving a space all her own.
We’re so excited to have found Markoe and can’t wait to hear what she unveils next.
Stream, playlist, and share “Malta” by Markoe—this is the kind of debut that demands to be heard.
