“LEND captures the moment in time when you fall in love with a stranger,” Sydney pop artist Will Baker said of his blissful acoustic single.
Will Baker has today (March 9) released LEND, a soft-pop ballad that marks the first single to be lifted from his forthcoming EP. The acoustic track pays homage to love at first sight, using blissful guitar strums to recount an evening in which Baker declares: “I’ve fallen again,” he sings on the pre-chorus. Later, Baker introduces airy backing harmonies and echoed lyrics, creating romantic vignettes of “slow dancing under street lights” and “moonlight on [your] lips.”
Equally as vivid as Baker’s imagery and lyricism is his vulnerability. Towards the end of LEND, the Sydney musician sings candidly of the trust required for falling in love, telling his suitor that they “don’t have to jump right into this” and promising “that it’ll be fine”. The tenderness is only amplified by the singer’s gentle yet commanding vocals, which offer the perfect accompaniment for an acoustic track such as LEND.
The single emerged from Baker’s debut studio session, and was recorded in collaboration with Luke Bertoz. Speaking of LEND in a press statement, Baker said the track “captures the moment in time when you fall in love with a stranger.” He continued: “I wrote the song about the kind of night where you just absolutely fall for someone in a single night.”
“The song is a tender request to be vulnerable and have trust,” Baker added. Perhaps the standout element of LEND is Baker’s grasp of the acoustic pop structure, with subtle production, perfectly aligned melodies and the repeated refrain “I just want you to be mine.” The musician elicits vocals like that of Marcus Mumford, with an instant singer-songwriter identity like that of Blake Rose.
It’s no small feat for a musician just 20 years old, but with LEND, Baker has set the stage for what’s sure to be a breakout debut. LEND is the first taste of Baker’s forthcoming EP, which has been recorded over the course of nine months. Previews shared to Baker’s social media promise a guitar-laden affair, with Bertoz having elsewhere worked with the likes of Lime Cordiale, Dappled Cities, Lior, and Bluejuice.
Listen to Will Baker’s new single LEND below, and keep an eye out for future releases from the Sydney pop musician set for release throughout this year.
