"Homecoming Queen" is a song by Australian singer/songwriter Thelma Plum, and was sent to radio on 12 July 2019 as the fourth and final single from her debut studio album Better in Blak.
| "Homecoming Queen" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Strings version | ||||
| Single by Thelma Plum | ||||
| from the album Better in Blak | ||||
| Released | 12 July 2019[1] | |||
| Length | 3:51 | |||
| Label | Mosy Recordings, Sony Music Australia | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| Thelma Plum singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Plum told Triple J that the song "speaks to growing up as an Aboriginal girl in rural Australia", saying, "watching videos on the TV and looking through magazines, but I never saw anyone who looked like me. There was absolutely no representation in mainstream media. That really does something, really skews your idea of beauty. I had to teach myself how to love myself, that I was beautiful and good enough."[2]
There is a refence in the song to the 1967 Australian referendum, which asked Australians whether Indigenous Australians should be included in official population counts for constitutional purposes.[3]
The song polled at number 67 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2019.[4]
At the National Indigenous Music Awards 2020, the song was nominated for Song of the Year.[5]
An Alice Ivy remix was released on the Anniversary Edition of the album in 2020.
Plum performed the song on The Sound on 15 November 2020.[6][7]
A strings version was released in October 2021.[8]
Reception edit
Cool Accidents said "'Homecoming Queen' is ultimately an anthem of self-love - one that embraces differences and celebrates individuality."[9]
Dani Maher from Harper's Bazaar said "'Homecoming Queen', like all of her releases, is a lyrical delight pinning her heart resolutely to her sleeve in its vulnerability".[10]
Nathan Jolly from The Guardian called it the "standout track" from the album said "Feeling unseen as a young Indigenous Australian must be a crushing and damaging experience, and Plum chronicles this experience and her own hard-fought rise to self-respect in a wonderfully moving way."[11]
Versions edit
- "Homecoming Queen" (album) – 3:51
- "Homecoming Queen" (Alice Ivy remix) – 4:28
- "Homecoming Queen" (strings) – 4:22
Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[12] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References edit
- ^ "Thelma Plum - Homecoming Queen (Official Audio)". PBS 106.7FM. July 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Better In Blak: Thelma Plum transforms trauma into triumph on her healing debut album". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 11 July 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Love & War: How Thelma Plum found therapy in Better In Blak". Pilerats. 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Here's The Winner Of Triple J's Hottest 100 Of 2019". Music Feeds. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Announcement: National Indigenous Music Awards Finalists Unveiled". noise11. 13 July 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ Triscari, Caleb (10 November 2020). "The Avalanches and Leon Bridges to perform for 'The Sound' this weekend". NME Australia. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
- ^ "The Sound: Series Two, Episode 3 – Matt Okine". ABC iview. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "My live version of Homecoming Queen with Strings as broadcast last year on ABC TV's @thesoundau is now available on all platforms!!! It was such a treat to perform this with so many talented musicians". Instagram. October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "The Most Potent Lyrics From Thelma Plum's 'Better In Blak'". Cool Accidents. December 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Thelma Plum on full circle moments, rediscovering her love for her hometown, and her next album". 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ Nathan Jolly (3 November 2021). "Midnight Oil, Alex Lahey and Thelma Plum: Australia's best new music for November". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Thelma Plum Backseat Of My Mind". Female. 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2023.