It consists of lead vocalist Hayley Mary, guitarist Sam Lockwood, pianist and keyboardist Heather Shannon, and drummer and percussionist Nik Kaloper.

[1] From 2009 to 2010, the group released three EPs, The Man Is Dead, She's So Hard, and Dark Storm—all produced and engineered by Lachlan Mitchell.

[1][3] Their music was described by the national radio station Triple J as a blend of alternative and indie rock.

[3] On 3 February 2009, the Jezabels' debut EP, The Man Is Dead, was released independently via MGM Distribution.

[13] On 22 December, the Jezabels were the Triple J Unearthed featured artist, described as "[d]ramatic, energetic, uplifting, indie rock with a commanding lead singer.

[19] On 1 October 2010, the Jezabels released the third EP, Dark Storm,[20] which peaked in the top 40 on the ARIA Singles Chart.

[21] The Age's Peter Vincent felt "[t]heirs is a timeless sound that is radio-friendly: moody female vocals soaring over strong percussion and slow-building guitar and piano/keyboard lines".

[24] Vulture's Anna Moull described it in a review: "a dramatic gothic epic, with a twist of 80's power-house rock.

Channelling Kate Bush, Freddie Mercury and Cyndi Lauper, Mary's vocals are a force to be reckoned with".

She wrote: "On listening to Synthia, I feel like I've paid a visit to the cinema and watched a gripping, extraordinary film.

[27] The Sydney Morning Herald's Jenny Valentish wrote, Synthia was "everything fans love the band for: volatile, provocative and intelligent.

In June 2010, they toured with Katie Noonan and the Captains[38] and also supported Regurgitator, Bluejuice, Dukes of Windsor, Van She, Sparkadia,[35][5] Ghostwood, Cassette Kids, Damn Arms, and Josh Pyke.

In February 2012, Pyke performed a cover of "Endless Summer", featuring Elana Stone (the Rescue Ships), on Triple j's Like a Version.

[39] In August 2012, they performed at Lollapalooza in Grant Park, Chicago,[40] and appeared at the Osheaga Festival in Montreal, Canada.

[41] The band appeared as special guests on Depeche Mode's Delta Machine world tour in the UK and Ireland in November 2013.

[42] The Jezabels had to cancel their 2016 world tour shortly before Synthia was released, as Shannon needed immediate treatment for an ovarian cancer that had been diagnosed three years before.

Shannon had used the pause from tour life to collaborate with Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett on his solo debut, A Version of Now.

The song was also used in the 2010 Red Bull short film "Way Back Home", which features trials bike rider Danny MacAskill.

The APRA Awards have been presented annually since 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association, "honouring composers and songwriters".