Anna Mae Kelly – Waver (2020)
Unfortunately, teenagers today deal with far more stressful experiences than my generation did. We had bullying, puppy love, heartache and whatnot, but social media seems to have taken these issues to another level. As with many 21st-century teenagers looking for some emotional relief, Anna Mae Kelly began writing songs at the age of 14. Skip forward a few years and Kelly is releasing reflective tracks with sophistication far beyond her 17 years (at time of writing this review). The latest addition to her discography is ‘Waver’.
Following her well-received single ‘Infamous Kiss’, ‘Waver’ is Kelly’s fourth single of 2020 and one of the most emotional – at least that’s my opinion. Touching on the consequences of toxic relationships such as constant arguing, anxiety, pain and frustration, Kelly takes on matters of the heart in a matter of fact way. Not necessarily upbeat, ‘Waver’ has a buoyancy to the melody despite the challenging concept.
Reminiscent of Billie Eilish with her off-beat vocals atop powerful beats and dynamic instrumentation, Kelly grabs your attention from the first chord. An element I find particularly evocative is the beat behind the flowing melody. For me at least, it seems to act as a heartbeat negotiating the intoxicating song. As beautiful as its writer, ‘Waver’ is breathtaking, beguiling and haunting without being too wistful.
For more from Anna Mae Kelly check out her official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
