A Quick Chat with Pretty Moi

ROAD DOG has this intentionally absurd, almost delusional energy to it. What was the Norm Macdonald joke that sparked the song, and how did leaning into storytelling unlock it for you creatively?

The spark was this Norm Macdonald joke about Kermit the Frog going to the bank, and there’s no real punchline. It’s just this endless stream of pointless detail that goes absolutely nowhere. And somehow that’s the whole joke.
We loved the idea of this character completely unaware of how obnoxious or shocking they might be perceived. So the song became about someone who embodies that. Zero self awareness, full confidence, and yet we do not really know anything about them.
Once we leaned into it, everything else made sense. Musically it’s simple and loud at times, and we let it do a lot of the work. The story doesn’t really resolve, no one learns anything in the end, it’s just silly and fun.

Sonically, the track moves between indie rock, surfy grooves and psych touches. How did you balance keeping it playful while still making something that felt true to Pretty Moi’s sound?

I think we’ve never had that many rules when it comes to genres or songwriting in general. Honestly it comes down to ‘we like what we like’ and we give it a crack if it feels right! That approach takes a lot of the pressure off and naturally balances different moods and styles.

You’ve said ROAD DOG feels especially fun to play live. How did that live energy influence the way the track was recorded and produced in the studio with Ben Irawan?

It’s great to play it live, lots of energy and fun moments. Sharing that with the audience feels really special. At the same time, I can’t stress enough how important Ben has been to the process, on the singles and the EP. He’s capturing important moments on the record and letting every element, every idea, find a bigger purpose in each song, which is pretty cool. We love Ben.

The music video brings Melbourne rapper AQUA2YUNG into the Pretty Moi universe. What drew you to collaborating with him, and how did his presence shape the visual and narrative of the song?

The first time I saw AQUA2YUNG was at a jazz/fusion gig here in Melbourne. In the middle of the set, he got invited on stage, wearing a suit, started rapping perfectly off the cuff, and then just sat down like nothing happened. He’s an incredibly talented artist. From the very start, if anyone captured the vision of this character, it was him. His energy made it easy to bring the ‘Road Dog’ to life.

ROAD DOG is the main single from your upcoming EP VOL. 2. How does this track set the tone for the rest of the EP, and what can listeners expect from the project as a whole?

ROAD DOG is part of the story we’re telling across the EP. It’s kind of a snapshot in a bigger concept, where each track is a different piece of the journey. ROAD DOG has its own energy and personality, but everything comes together in the EP. We can’t wait for people to hear it, very soon though!

With triple j support, a No. 1 Metro AMRAP single, and strong touring momentum behind you, what feels different about this next chapter for Pretty Moi as you head into 2026?

Lots! but in a good way. Everything about this EP feels intentional and we’re really proud of it. We hope people can resonate with it and have a good time listening, because that’s the goal.