Kelsie Kimberlin – Shattered (2023)
When we left Kelsie Kimberlin in 2022, she was wrapping her warm vocals in the spirited pop single ‘Cosmopolitan Girl’. Inspired by her travelling as an independent female who takes pride in her love and acceptance of various cultures, ‘Cosmopolitan Girl’ shows us an empowered, independent and optimistic woman through the sonic lens. Skip ahead a few months, and Kimberlin once again is inspired by humanity in her new single. She looks at the strength of humans, their resilience and empowerment as individuals in the song ‘Shattered’.
Following her critically acclaimed singles ‘Rooting For My Baby’, ‘Spoof I Wonder’ and ‘Road Trip’, ‘Shattered’ is Kimberlin’s fourth release in 2023. Constantly growing as an artist, Kimberlin brings something new to each of her singles; so, honestly, we have no idea what to expect from her. As with ‘Spoof I Wonder’, ‘Shattered’ adopts a pop ballad style with a slow, soothing melody. Yet, unlike previous material, Kimberlin introduces various elements into the arrangement making it a stand-off piece. Steady beats back the rich vocals with a contemporary pop quality; however, the fusion of a string quartet and classical piano insert an obscure haunting reminiscent of Christina Perri’s ‘Jar of Hearts’.
One feature I find intriguing is how the harmonic melding of piano, beats and strings bolsters Kimberlin’s off-kilter vocals, but the dulcet tones seem to linger atop a wistful melody. The arrangement is kaleidoscopic and multi-faceted yet, the demure tone of Kimberlin’s voice offers a delusion of minimalistic simplicity. It is this visage of simple innocence atop a bold orchestral tune that breaks my heart – in a good way.
Known for her profound lyricism, ‘Shattered’ is a song of despair, anxiety and fragility slicked by empowering resilience. Kimberlin explains:
“’Shattered’ is a song that so many of us can relate to, either in our own lives or in the lives of loved ones. It is about an amazing girl who gave it all to a guy who treated her badly causing her so much stress and loss of self-confidence that she let herself go and finally broke into pieces “all shattered across the floor”. But the song is also about her redemption, about how, from the depths of depression and despair she found the strength to put it all back together and decide, once and for all that she deserved better… We are all put on Earth to be the best, to look out for each other and to show by example.” – Kelsie Kimberlin on ‘Shattered’
For more from Kelsie Kimberlin, check out her official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
