Jesse Baird and Luke Davies have been remembered through a powerful new song that brings together some of Australia’s best musical talent, and the accompanying video features a heartbreaking appearance from Baird’s grieving mother Helen.
The killing of Jesse Baird and his partner Luke Davies in a Paddington terrace in February 2024 sent shockwaves throughout Australia, particularly across LGBTIQA+ communities. The couple’s deaths were especially confronting given allegations that they were murdered by a serving police officer, who had previously briefly dated Baird.
Warning: The report contains news of domestic and sexual violence that may be distressing for some readers.
The tragedy deeply affected many, including Australian musician Greg Gould, who began writing a song to process his grief and the collective pain felt in the aftermath. Seeking to reflect a broader queer experience, Gould collaborated with fellow singer Adam Noviello and Jack Hollander, resulting in the song No More.
As the project evolved, more voices joined. Kate DeAraugo, a close friend and long‑time touring partner of Gould, asked to be involved after hearing the early version. Soon after, acclaimed drag performer Kween Kong wrote a powerful additional section, further enriching the work.
Released today, No More stands as both a memorial and a call for change. Its accompanying video features Helen Baird, Jesse’s mother, who shares her grief about the loss of her son and his partner.
The music video delves into the realities of domestic and sexual violence, featuring real survivors who share their stories with striking honesty and vulnerability, including Gould who is a survivor of sexual abuse himself.
Speaking to OUTinPerth, Gould shared how the news of the deaths of Baird and Davies, like many people in LGBTIQA+ communities around Australia, hit him hard.
“Like most of us, that particular story stopped me in my tracks. I literally froze, and I feel like I was in bed for three days just feeling sick,” he shared.
Gould was certainly not alone in that feeling. As he reached out to friends, he discovered they were also processing the tragedy. As more news about the deaths became public — including the allegation that the couple had been killed by a serving police officer who had previously dated Baird — Gould looked for a way to express the shared disbelief.
“I just couldn’t believe that someone, one of our own people, would do that to one of our own people. Our community is so full of love and joy, and we stand up to things like that — we stamp that out,” he said.
“I wrote this song originally as a bit of a poem, as a way of cathartically expressing how I was feeling,” he shared.
“Then I asked Adam if they wanted to be part of it. After that I thought, maybe this is even bigger than you and I — maybe we need lots of different voices here too, because that’s the whole point. We need people to stand with us, whether it’s queer issues, acts of violence, racism, or anything else. We all need to band together.”
The song made its way to Helen Baird, Jesse’s grieving mother, via a mutual friend. She reached out to Gould and his collaborators to thank them for writing the piece, and later agreed to appear in the video.
“She made it very clear that she’s doing this so no other family has to go through what she’s going through every single day,” Gould said.
“We’re seeing her raw pain on display. None of that is acting. That’s her standing there holding a photo of her son, and in real time we’re seeing that pain.”
Alongside Helen Baird in the video are many people who have experienced domestic and sexual violence.
Gould has previously shared his own experience of being sexually assaulted as a child, noting that it took him years to speak about what had happened.
“I didn’t talk to my parents because I was embarrassed. I felt silly. I didn’t realise it was wrong,” he said.
Gould said many of the people featured in the video also have powerful and often tragic stories to share.
“The gentleman holding the sign that says, ‘I’m deaf because of you’ was beaten by his partner. It perforated his eardrum, and now he’s deaf in one ear because of domestic violence. The woman holding the sign that says, ‘I’m lucky I survived’ – her ex‑partner is in jail for her attempted murder.” Gould revealed.
Family, domestic and sexual violence
Family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV) is a major health, welfare and social issue in Australia. It affects people of all ages and from all backgrounds, but mainly women and children.
The latest research has shown that one in four women experience FDSV, and one in fourteen men. In the period between 2021 and 2022 13 per cent of adults had witnesses partner violence against a parent before the age of fifteen.
May 28 marks LGBTQ+ Domestic Violence Awareness Day, an opportunity to highlight the needs of our communities when it comes to prevention and support.
If you are looking for support contact Pride in Respect Specialist Support Service. The service is not a crisis service. If you or someone you know needs urgent help, please contact ‘000’.
1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via their website, or text 0458 737 732.
No More features on the new deluxe edition of Greg Gould’s ‘String Attached’
The powerful song is features on the new deluxe edition of Strings Attached, which reimagines Gould’s 2024 ARIA chart-topping album, expanding its world through a series of international collaborations and four new tracks that open the project into a new chapter.
For Gould, the new edition of the record represents a continuation of a deeply personal body of work, shaped by lived experience and a commitment to honesty.
“When I first released Strings Attached, it was my debut original album. Some of those songs had been sitting on my heart for a long time,” he shares. “Getting them out into the world meant everything to me, but I always knew I wasn’t finished with them. These songs deserved to grow, and so did I.”
Expanding on themes of survival, hope, and resilience, the deluxe edition allows Gould to revisit these stories with renewed perspective, deepening their emotional impact while continuing to advocate for voices too often left unheard.
That sense of shared experience extends across the album’s expansive list of collaborators, bringing together voices from across Australia and beyond. From Grammy-winning Broadway star Shoshana Bean and global powerhouse Morissette, to Australian icons Kate DeAraugo and Tania Doko, alongside queer trailblazers including Kween Kong, AJA, Willam and Ada Vox, each contribution adds a distinct perspective to the project’s emotional landscape.
The deluxe edition also includes two bonus solo tracks, including Running the song Gould co-wrote (with Tony Chilvers) for the upcoming Australian film Body Blow, remixes from Grammy-winning dance icon Dave Audé and Japanese hit producer Initial Talk as well as ‘You Are Enough’ with Royston Noell’ and ‘Just For You’ with Joan & The Giants.
