Three breathtaking new singer songwriters, including a “song of the year” candidate

Gal Musette – “Broken Clock”
-Stop what you’re doing and really listen to this song. It’s such a wonderful bit of songwriting and Musette’s vocal is stunning here. The harmonies on the chorus are absolutely outstanding, winning me over again and again with each listen. The lyrical concept feels like a classic folk trope, that of a broken clock being right twice a day, a tongue-in-cheek joke that meets truth telling. There’s a spiritual core of the song, though, that really does it for me. It’s ultimately a song about seeing someone for who they really are and having to reconsider yourself in light of that new revelation. This is a wonderful song and one of the best folk tunes I’ve heard all year. I enjoy it so much, I fully expect to be writing about it again near the end of December. It’s a gem.

Mia Wilson – “It Must Be So Easy”
-If you’re a fan of Carole King music from back in the 70s, you’ll find a lot to like from this new track by Mia Wilson. Everything from the straightforward piano to the soaring orchestral work, the whole composition feels comfortable and engaging. This is the kind of music that makes my heart swoon every time, even though I’m not sure I can put into words the genre name or even the musicological aspects that make it so good. Is it pop? Sure. Is it folk? A little. Is it just a wonderful feel good sound that makes me feel nostalgic and warm? Absolutely. Wilson’s vocal feels so timeless and engaging here that it feels like I’ve been listening to this song for decades, not just a few weeks. I like this one a lot and I hope that people will give it a real shot; it deserves to be widely shared.

Amelie Lucille – “Polar”
-If you were around my writing last year, you know I spent a lot of time discussing Lizzy McAlpine. I’m happy to say that Amelie Lucille fits in that similar tradition with McAlpine and even Billie Eilish… it’s a heartfelt, folk-rooted style of pop singer songwriter work that I absolutely adore. The unhurried style from Lucille shows the importance of the lyrical core for the storytelling dimension. The guitar balances well with the violin for an intimate recording style that allows the heartfelt vocal to shine through. The message “love takes time” is humbling, reminding listeners that we can’t make people in our image or hope that they are what we’re looking for. We have to love them as they are and hope they love us in return. It’s a tender lyrical sentiment that mirrors the gentle vocal styling perfectly. This is an exceptional piece of folk songwriting and I hope people will give it a chance.

Image courtesy: Gal Musette IG