Ruby Duff – Launches New Era With ‘Kill U While U Sleep’

Alt-pop rising star Ruby Duff kicks off a new musical era with ‘Kill U While U Sleep’, a larger-than-life theatrical tongue-in-cheek pop moment that blurs the line between the everyday frustrations of being in love and murderous exasperation. Watch the music video here.
 
Inspired by loving someone so much that even their snoring could push you to the brink, ‘Kill U While U Sleep’ finds humour in intimacy’s contradictions. Led by Ruby’s distinctive, quirky vocal and a twinkling glockenspiel hook, the track bursts into infectious indie-pop riffs and sweeping strings, with the cheeky energy of a coming-of-age film soundtrack. Somewhere between the mischievous charm of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and the rebellious spirit of Wild Child, it pairs feel-good, coming-of-age nostalgia with Ruby’s own theatrical character.
 
“This is basically about loving someone but also finding them so annoying at times that you could happily kill them in their sleep (comedically, of course!). They snore, steal the duvet, get on your nerves over the smallest things, and yet you still absolutely adore them. It’s that funny, frustrating side of being in love that nobody really talks about.” Ruby explains.
 
She continues, “Because loving someone isn’t about thinking they’re perfect all the time. It’s about putting up with each other’s shit, having ridiculous arguments, learning to compromise and forgiving each other when you’re both being annoying. There’s something quite lovely about being able to laugh at those little imperfections rather than letting them get in the way of something good and learning to accept our differences, even with the people closest to us.”
 

Originally written during a session with acclaimed songwriter Paul Herman, known for his work with Dido, the track dates to a period when Ruby was exploring songwriting with and for other artists. The original demo centred on the song’s topline until Ruby revisited her recordings this year and rediscovered a track that felt just as relatable as when she first wrote it. After enjoying the collaborative process of writing for others, Ruby was ready to bring the focus back to her own artist project, and the song felt like the perfect starting point for this next chapter.

After bringing the track to life with her band, affectionately known as The Party Band, Ruby was encouraged by the audience reaction to take it into the studio with her longtime producer and close friend Robert Matthews. The new recording features her dad on keys, alongside string players Ben Trigg and Marianne Haynes, whose beautiful, sweeping strings add a cinematic flourish to the track’s playful indie-pop sound. To celebrate the release Ruby hosted a pre-release pop-up event, playing the track outside the window of the Famous Cock in Highbury & Islington, drawing quite a crowd.

The single’s visualiser clips takes its dark humour into cinematic territory, following a drag wife hilariously determined to smother her snoring husband. The first in a series of short-film-style visuals accompanying Ruby’s new music.

Ruby will continue to bring that theatrical energy to the stage at the Money Trench showcase on November 17 at The Victoria in Dalston – tickets here. Ruby will also be supporting Tom A. Smith across his UK tour, kicking off next week – tickets here.