katie drives – Next To You (2022)
In an interview with notable publication RGM, Germany-based katie drives describes how her fascination with music drove her to the music industry – “I grew up on classical music, learning piano and singing in a children’s choir. I have always been fascinated by popular music and noticed as a young teenager that I really like to sing and that it doesn’t sound too bad…” This is my introduction to the singer-songwriter, but she is already receiving critical acclaim across the globe featuring on Buzz Music, Edgar Allan Poets, Rising Artists Blog, Clout, and many more. The latest addition to her discography is the single ‘Next To You’.
Following her well-received track ‘Ghost’, katie drives nods to the pop-rock and emo sounds of the 1990s/2000s in ‘Next To You’. Raw passion flows through the melodic arrangement melding pounding drums with hard-hitting guitar riffs. Interestingly enough, while the heavy, hard-hitting guitar sends you off on a kaleidoscopic sonic cloud, it is the harmony of the instrumentation and drives’ vocals that bring a somewhat soothing sensation to the blast of rock.
The melody can hold its own, no doubt about that, but it is katie drives vocal execution that touched my soul. Lying somewhere between Hayley Williams, Avril Lavigne and Amy Lee, drives hits you in the face with her voice but also brings a sense of vulnerability. Exploring human fragility with an intimate, albeit bold and full-bodied song, this talented songstress uses poetic lyricism to touch on “burdensome topics young adults are facing”.
“The title ‘Next To You’ sounds like a love song but the song is actually about something very different. It describes the rollercoaster of appreciation, self-doubts, envy and feelings of guilt when compared to others. Whether on social media or among your friends, sometimes you see people who seem to be flawless…and next to them you can’t help but feel bad. A topic with which many young women and girls, in particular, can identify.” – katie drives on ‘Next To You’
For more from katie drives check out her official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
