Poppy
As Spiritbox prepare to release their second album, vocalist Courtney LaPlante has gone on record to decry the unapproved release of their latest single.
The news comes just days away from the arrival of Tsunami Sea, Spritbox’s new record which is currently scheduled to drop on Friday (March 7) via the band’s own Pale Chords label and Rise Records. The album has been previewed since September, with the release of first single, “Soft Spine.” In November, this was followed by “Perfect Soul,” and again in February with the release of “No Loss, No Love.”
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Eager fans of the band may, however, have noticed the release of a new single titled “Crystal Roses” appearing on streaming services on Monday (March 3). According to a post shared on social media by LaPlante, issuing a new single in the week of the album’s release was not part of their approved rollout plan.
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“I don’t normally like to air out behind the scenes things like this, but we did not approve putting out another single today,” LaPlante wrote. “None of us were aware this was happening. I am extremely disappointed and only found out about it late last night, by chance. Trying to take it down asap.”
“Crystal Roses” has since been removed from streaming services, with only the previously-released singles available for listening ahead of the album’s official release.
This isn’t the first mishap which has befallen Spiritbox in recent months, with the band having recently been thrust into the spotlight thanks to a case of mistaken identity.
Appearing at the Grammys on Feb. 2 where the band were nominated in the best metal performance category, LaPlante spoke to an interviewer who had mistaken her for Poppy (whose “Suffocate” collaboration with Knocked Loose was up for the same award). Offering a slightly confused look to the off-camera interviewer, LaPlante decided instead to roll with it and continued the conversation as her fellow nominee.
“I am Poppy, and I am really happy to be here, nominated with Knocked Loose,” LaPlante replied slyly. “I really hope we win.”
Noting she had just finished chatting to Judas Priest, the interviewer went on to mention it wasn’t Poppy’s first time being nominated, referencing her nod for “Bloodmoney” in 2021.
“Really happy to be here again, would love to take home the Grammy for Knocked Loose and myself because I would be the first woman to win this award,” LaPlante added. “I actually haven’t looked at [how many women have been nominated previously] but I just always know that it’s time for one of us to win. I hope it’s me, or Spiritbox and Courtney.”
Ultimately, the award was won by French band Gojira, whose performance of “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” (as heard at the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony) was a collaboration with Swiss soprano Marina Viotti and Victor Le Masne.
Spiritbox vocalist Courtney LaPlante has expertly rolled with a red carpet mix-up at the Grammys this year, adopting the guise of fellow nominee Poppy after an interviewer confused the two artists.
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The high-profile case of mistaken identity occurred on LaPlante’s way into the ceremony, where she was nominated for Best Metal Performance with the rest of Spiritbox for their track “Cellar Door”.
The category was ultimately won by French band Gojira, whose performance of “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” (as heard at the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony) was a collaboration with Swiss soprano Marina Viotti and Victor Le Masne. Elsewhere in the nominations was Metallica’s “Screaming Suicide”, Judas Priest’s “Crown of Horns”, and Knocked Loose’s collaboration with Poppy, “Suffocation”.
However, confusion reigned during LaPlante’s appearance on the red carpet where she took part in an interview, only to be introduced as Poppy. Offering a slightly confused look to the off-camera interviewer, LaPlante decided instead to roll with it and continued the conversation as her fellow nominee.
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“I am Poppy, and I am really happy to be here, nominated with Knocked Loose,” LaPlante replied slyly. “I really hope we win.”
Noting she had just finished chatting to Judas Priest, the interviewer goes on to mention it’s not Poppy’s first time being nominated, referencing her nod for “Bloodmoney” in 2021.
“Really happy to be here again, would love to take home the Grammy for Knocked Loose and myself because I would be the first woman to win this award,” LaPlante added. “I actually haven’t looked at [how many women have been nominated previously] but I just always know that it’s time for one of us to win. I hope it’s me, or Spiritbox and Courtney.”
LaPlante then answered further questions under Poppy’s guise, referring to Knocked Loose’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as a “huge moment for our scene”, and reflected on the lack of female representation in the metal category at the Grammys before handing back the microphone without incident.
Spiritbox formed in Canada in 2017 and released their debut album, Eternal Blue, four years later, with the record peaking at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and topping the Top Rock Albums chart.
In 2023, they issued their fourth EP, The Fear of Fear, with opening track “Jaded” giving them their first Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance in 2024. Their recently-nominated track, “Cellar Door”, was also lifted from the same EP. The band are currently slated to release their second full-length album, Tsunami Sea, in March.
American singer/songwriter and Youtuber Poppy has returned to Sumerian Records and released the new single and music video “Church Outfit.”
Sumerian Records founder Ash Avildsen says he was thrilled to bring Poppy — known for representing “a future where high art and high fashion equal subversion of the highest order,” according to her bio — back to Sumerian after a brief stint at Lava Records, which released her EP Stagger last year.
“The only thing more exciting than signing an iconic artist for the first time is signing them again when they choose to return home,” Avildsen says. “Poppy is a pioneer and lover of music, film, pro-wrestling, the unorthodox and the avant-garde. That is why I believe Sumerian is still the best label in the world for her. We are thrilled to have her back.”
During her initial time as a Sumerian Records artist, Poppy released two albums — 2020’s I Disagree and 2021’s Flux — and the 2021 EP Eat (NXT Soundtrack). During that period, she also became the first-ever solo female artist to be nominated for best metal performance at the Grammys for her 2019 single “Bloodmoney.”
Beyond tallying 100 million-plus streams, according to a press release, Poppy has been featured on the covers of NME, Revolver, Upset, Kerrang! and Tush and performed at the 2021 Grammy Awards and the 2022 Glastonbury festival. She’s toured with The Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction.
“It’s an artist’s responsibility to always change,” Poppy explained in a press release announcing her return to Sumerian. “I don’t think I’d want to be in my body if I was repeating the same thing over and over again. I’m only competing with myself. I will continue to write the story until I get tired of the book. Then, I’ll write another one.”
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