MEL Kay & Liberté (pronounced “Libert-ae”) are back for a gig at the Ellington Jazz Club on September 5 – and ready to target the theme of mental health as part of their 2½-hour set.

It comes hot on the heels of their latest single Let It Burn, a song Kay wrote as an anthem for the underdog and a way of finding inner strength in the face of destruction.

The Ellington gig has been dubbed “Personality Disorder Catalyst” and aims to bring to light some of the mental struggles people go through on a daily basis, as well as voicing the difficulty those disorders can pose to those around them.

“We wanted to showcase a range of songs focused on the mind, trauma, the cycle of abuse, domestic violence, healing, defence mechanisms, love, life and the in-between,” Kay said.

“There will be a heap of new songs with some written expressly for this show – the idea behind this gig was to showcase the new material and also gauge which songs our audience would like to hear recorded next.”

Last year, 23-year-old Kay launched the singles Feel Alright and Upside Down Town with her 10-piece band Liberté, scoring local commercial airplay, performances on Foxtel and airplay in New York, Tokyo, Rio, Berlin, York (UK), South Carolina and South Africa, as well as the eastern states.

They were also signed to Sydney label The A&R Department and performed for the heads of Google, Facebook and Instagram at this year’s World Wide Web Conference at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Inspired by The Browhorn Orchestra, Lorde, Regina Spektor and Kate Miller-Heidke, the band’s sound is a mix of funk, pop and indie music.

Kay said the latest release, Let It Burn, was a song very close to her heart.

“It represents standing, in spite of the fires of life that threaten to burn us and leave us beaten down,” the WA Academy of Performing Arts graduate said. “I wrote it for anyone who might be like me out there and needed a voice.

“To be different from the crowd is often one of the hardest things – the song was inspired by the outcasts, those that break social norms, dream in spite of the system and stand up for their beliefs even when they’re mocked for it.

“Let It Burn is for the invisible wallflowers in this city that are trodden upon and discarded – you are seen.

“The genre and style is a little more rock than some of our other songs with inspiration drawn from the likes of Christina Aguilera.

“It’s more of a fight song than many others we’ve recorded and a lot more aggressive.”

Mel Kay & Liberté plays at 7.30pm September 5 at the Ellington Jazz Club. Tickets are $15 seated, $10 standing – book at http://www.ellingtonjazz.com.au/event/mel-kay-liberte-personality-disorder-catalyst/

The Ellington Jazz Club is at 191 Beaufort Street, Perth (just north of Newcastle Street).

More information about Mel Kay & Liberté is available at:

Website: www.melkaymusic.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/musicmelkay

Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/mel-kay_music