Kathleen Frances is an artist that has been bubbling under for a while now since she released her debut single Define in 2020. Since that time the likes of BBC’s Fresh on the Net, Radio 1 and various websites and blogs have given their support and in 2020 she made the Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talent competition final 8 shortlist. Now it’s time for Breaking More Waves to join her fan club with her most recent single Boy heading up this blog’s New Music Weekly playlist (you can find that by clicking here if you fancy following it)
Kathleen has form when it comes to Glastonbury; as a member of the Bristol based band 4th Project, she was nominated for the Emerging Talent longlist in 2016 by this very blog. As a side note, one of the other artists I chose for the longlist in 2016, Ajimal, also made the short list in 2020 and went on to be runner up in the competition. If you don’t at first succeed etc etc…
But now to Kathleen’s solo stuff. This is music that hits you deep. There’s something soulful and almost otherworldly about this singer’s voice. If you are a fan of Anohni or Hannah Reid from London Grammar, then press play now. The aforementioned Define has elements of a midnight piano torch song, but the gentle clatter of percussion that accompanies the chorus could easily fit the song neatly onto Massive Attack’s Protection album. Her cover version of Electric Youth and College’s A Real Hero is swathed in cascading piano that rains elegance throughout. Then there’s new song Boy. Taken from her forthcoming debut EP Through the Blue it’s a desolate stop-you-in-your-tracks break up song that wrestles with moving on and letting go; sometimes no matter how sad it is, people change and have to leave. “I am not the same as before, and he knows it, letting go is hard,” she sings - your goosebumps and tears may possibly follow.
Kathleen has already been confirmed for this year’s Great Escape Festival and Green Man Festival. If you’re going to either, be like me and put her on your ones to watch list. She also plays her own headline shows in Manchester, Bristol and London in March.
Kathleen Frances - Boy
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