At its core, music is storytelling. Since before we can remember, musicians have been spinning life’s most infinite or fleeting moments into sound, allowing melodies to carry meaning through the generations. Music is a force that transcends time and place, creating the perfect channel for these tales to echo through. On her debut single, Grace Amos speaks to this artistic lineage.
Listen Real Closely is a coming-of-age narrative unfurled in the most gorgeous way. Acoustic swells drive the songwriter’s lyrics through nuance and cadence, coming to rest in a channel that feels both weathered yet boasts an unmistakable clarity. It’s an utterly formidable single.
With the talents of our greatest’s storytellers, Grace Amos has spun deep, messy emotions into a glimmering country single. Where most would armour vulnerability in overwhelming beats, Amos refrains; allowing her message to sweep in like the tides.
Listen Real Closely is reflective in every sense of the word. Amos’ lyrics are introspective, slowly unpicking the darkest parts of her anxieties and laying them out for the world to see. The song is unfurled like a confession, revealing the past in clean lines. Yet, sonically, the track reflects like a galaxy, casting tides of strings into a soundscape that offers comfort, nostalgia, but also vulnerability.
“If you listen real closely, you’ll hear as the world breaks my heart,” Amos sings in the track’s chorus.
It comes as no surprise that the majesty of the Cobbitty-local’s songwriting has captured the attention of the Australian industry. At just 16, Amos has performed with major international act HRVY, secured gigs with some of Australia’s biggest names, and won acclaimed scholarships. Her latest single is a testament to her immense talent.
Refrained, poignant, and stirring; Listen Real Closely is one of those songs that compels you from the moment it begins. Whether it is Amos’ glossy vocals, the sheer honesty seeping from her lyrics, or the earthy power of the music itself, you are left utterly hooked. It is all the best parts of country spun into a shining narrative and then set to simmer. What emerges is a clarified body of work that speaks multitudes, immaculate in every conceivable way.
Have a listen below:
