ratbag has unveiled ‘how to cry’, a new track brought to life through hand-drawn visuals

ratbag has kicked off 2026 with a brand new single, 'how to cry', accompanied by a music video she directed herself.

In the visual, the New Zealand artist transforms hand-drawn illustrations into sound, sketching out each element of the track's instrumentation before feeding them into a ramshackle studio set-up inside a cave that she is mysteriously connected to.

Speaking about the meaning behind the song, ratbag said: "The song is about needing to cry so badly but feeling so numb that you can't. You pass a point where you can't even draw tears anymore. But then you meet that one person who does the complete opposite and breaks that wall down right in front of you. You cry just by looking into their eyes."

Alongside the new music, ratbag has confirmed her debut UK live appearances this May, with a set at The Great Escape in Brighton and a headline London date at The George Tavern. 

The dates in full read:

MAY
15 The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, UK (The Great Escape)
26 The George Tavern, London, UK