Yorke Enters Her Villain Era with 'unfinished business'

yorke's new EP, 'unfinished business,' is more than a collection of tracks; it's a bold declaration of reinvention, independence, and global ambition. With this five-song release, the Australian alt-pop artist steps fully into her power, shedding any remnants of pop predictability for a sound that feels entirely her own. From the first pulsating synths to the final cathartic crescendo, Yorke proves she's not here to play by the rules; she's here to rewrite them.

The project opens with "love on the run," a cinematic, high-octane anthem co-written with Lucy Healey (FINNEAS, Madison Beer). Fueled by urgent percussion and glittering synths, the track captures the thrill of unexpected connection with a narrative flair that feels like a late-night drive through neon-lit streets. It's yorke at her most magnetic, threading vulnerability through a soundscape built for stadium speakers.

Then comes "sorry in advance," a sonic detour into upbeat, K-pop-inspired effervescence. Here, yorke flips the "sorry, not sorry" trope on its head with assertive charm. It's rare to find a pop track this joyful without veering into cliché, but YORKE balances cheekiness and craft with ease. The result is a refreshing dose of self-assurance, like a wink through the speaker.

The EP's title track, "unfinished business," is perhaps its emotional center. Lush, layered, and introspective, the song speaks to the ache of unresolved endings and the growth that follows. Her voice hovers delicately over the production, each lyric steeped in honesty. It's clear this isn't just a song; it's a moment of reckoning, a turning point.

"i wanna hate you" catapults the listener back into pop territory with a punchy, polished banger that's as relatable as it is addictive. The chorus hooks you immediately, but it's YORKE's candid lyricism that makes it linger. She doesn't sugarcoat the emotional complexity of heartbreak; she embraces it, dances in it, and dares you to do the same.

Closing track "the villain" is yorke at her storytelling best. Moody, brooding, and unapologetic, the song leans into alt-pop darkness with confidence. There's an almost theatrical quality to the delivery, as if yorke is peeling back her final layer and showing us the cost of being misunderstood. It's a brilliant closer, one that suggests this "unfinished business" is just the beginning.

What makes unfinished business so compelling isn't just the pristine production or earworm choruses, it's yorke's conviction. She doesn't just perform these songs; she owns them. Each track is meticulously crafted, but none feel overworked. There's an ease in her artistry now, a self-awareness that lets her be cheeky, messy, vulnerable, and powerful all at once.

yorke has long been touted as a rising star in alt-pop, but this EP cements her status as a world-class act with staying power. With support from global icons and a steadily growing international fanbase, unfinished business isn't just a reintroduction; it's a reawakening. And yorke is far from done.

"unfinished business" feels deeply personal and creatively liberated. What was the biggest shift for you while making this EP compared to past projects?

Thank you so much - it is! Both of my previous projects were released during COVID, so I wanted to make a body of work that reflected my personal growth since that time. A lot of life curveballs have been thrown over the past few years, and I just grew a thicker skin and learnt to follow my instincts. I knew I wanted to make something I could dance to, that felt really good on stage, and that didn’t pander to anyone else’s opinions. I also got to write overseas for the first time, and especially in LA, I think experiencing the hustle culture in real time was the best thing I could’ve done. I loved it. 

The other shift would be a cultural shift, people started loving straight pop music again, the fan girls came back in full force, and it allowed me to feel confident enough to make the project I’ve always wanted. It was finally reachable.  

You've seen viral success in Japan and Korea, and now you're supporting Indigo la End in Tokyo. How has international recognition shaped your perspective as an artist?

It’s crazy! It’s definitely given me a deeper sense of fandom culture and how I can make that process the very best for them. To be honest, you can see numbers and followers online but it's hard to fathom - so I really think this Tokyo show will change that for me. 

It’s also really solidified the power of music, and how you never know when a song could change your life. ‘window shopping’ blew up like 2 years after it came out, and this indigo la End support came from the lead singer Enon randomly coming across my song and becoming a fan. I think it’s a great lesson for other artists to keep making music you love, and it’ll have its moment when the time is right; it's not always instant. 

Each track on the EP feels like a different version of you—cheeky, reflective, heartbroken, empowered. Was that intentional, and how do you balance those emotional extremes in your music?

Absolutely intentional. It’s basically a concept EP where I am a detective in my own universe, finding clues to navigate my way through the grey areas of my life. Each song is a different facet of something I’ve experienced that isn’t black or white. I wanted to write about the moments that aren’t often talked about, and that I wouldn't have allowed myself to feel/process if it weren’t in song form. The visuals reflect this too, with the brunette and blonde Yorke - and you start to realise both of them are flawed, there is no ‘good or bad’. 

"love on the run" is such a cinematic opener—what was the story behind writing it, and what did working with Lucy Healey bring to the process?

Thank you! I’d (arguably) say it’s one of my favs on the project, I knew I had to start with it. This is one of the first songs I wrote on the EP, during my first writing trip to LA, and it informed the whole EP concept and vision. 

I’d written a bunch of ideas on the plane over to the US, and I knew I wanted to write a song inspired somehow by a bank heist gone wrong with the lyric ‘love on the run’. And randomly decided that session would be the day I wrote it (thank God!).

I was reflecting on my own relationship - we are both creatives who work all the time, but when we met it was like we both took our crazy timelines and joined forces to grow in a way that elevated our lives both personally but also creatively. ‘love on the run’ was essentially about two people coincidentally robbing the same bank at the same time, fell in love in the heat of the moment, and abandoned their mission to instead run away together and live a life of bigger and better crime. Kinda random but it worked in my brain. 

Working with Lucy was incredible. We sat down and talked through the whole concept of the song, and from then on, it was honestly written within an hour or so. It’s been amazing seeing her kill it since that session, too; she’s such a great writer. 

You've said this EP is just the beginning. What unfinished business do you still feel creatively called to explore next?

Haha, great question. I’ve already started writing for the next project, and it’s been SO fun. I got to work on a bunch of tracks with Tommy Brown whilst he was over in Aus at a writing camp, and it was the most inspired I’ve ever felt. He’s such a legend. 

There is so much left to explore, I feel like I’ve only just touched the surface with what I want to say and do, and I consider this EP the baseline. ‘unfinished business’ was figuring out who I am, and the next era is very much ‘I’m here and I know myself’. Stay tuned!