Girl in the Mirror ft Emily McNally – Lonely (2022)
Loneliness is something that can consume you and lead you to wallowing in endless what if’s, over-analysing every interaction you have and constantly reaching out for a connection. This is something Girl in the Mirror and Emily McNally look at in their touching and aptly titled single ‘Lonely’. Written in the first months of the pandemic, the single transcends the moment of its birth and encapsulates the general experience of lonely souls looking for a connection.
With an intimate and meditative atmosphere, the single touches something deep in your soul and offers the connection you never knew you were looking for. Girl in the Mirror brings her emotive electronic music to the fluid DIY bedroom pop of McNally, for a single that layers lush tones over rivers of emotion. To bring the emotions of the single to visual life, a wonderful animated lyric video has been released.
‘Lonely’ opens with a light piano line that taps and dances through your senses with a delicate beauty. The humming backing creates a deep richness to the soundscape, adding depth to the delicate sound. The electronic tones tap into the melody, contrasting the delicate piano line. This line drops for a cascade of electronic tones that builds to a burst of tone. There is a wonderful combination of electronic music and pop arrangement, with the lightest sprinkling of classical tones. It is a really amazing melody that sweeps you into the movement, with the deep tones rising below you to sweep you off your feet and carry you to the electronic cascades.
As that initial delicate piano line leads you into the single, McNally’s vocals draw you into a thread of thought. She drops you into the feeling of loneliness and the thoughts that swirl through your mind, trying to understand why you can’t seem to connect with others. Her voice is unbelievably emotive as she calls out to the universe to end the loneliness she feels. As the burst of electronic tones cascades through your senses, her voice gets a slight dance movement, before smoothly flowing out again. There is a deeply touching edge to her performance that tugs at your emotions and inundates you with the emotions of the track.
The official lyric video uses drawn animation and comic font to bring the single to visual life. The use of comic strip designs further draws you into the thought pattern of the lyrics. The animation style brings a youthful feeling to the track, but this only seems to enhance the sadness and loneliness of the single. While the video doesn’t have some of the flashy visuals of other lyric videos, it is amazingly powerful as it brings every word to life.
Girl in the Mirror and Emily McNally tug at your emotions, tap into feelings of loneliness and fill you with the layered tones of ‘Lonely’. The music is a wonderful combination of classical movements and electronic tones that cascade through the soundscape. McNally’s vocals are delicate and emotive as she draws you into the thoughts of the lyrics.
Find out more about Girl in the Mirror on her Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
