Track of the Day: Emily Ricks – Farewell To My Youth (2024)
At only 23 years of age, singer-songwriter Emily Ricks has several experiences causing her to “live a lot of life” while barely in adulthood. At age 12, her father passed away and at 18 years old, she underwent major aortic surgery to save her life. At age 8, she voiced Bonnie in Toy Story 3, and while I haven’t watched the film, I hear the ending with Andy and Bonnie was rather moving. Taking all her life events and experiences, Ricks uses intimate tales and melodies to promote courage, hopefulness and empowerment in listeners.
The younger sister of Alanis Morrissette and Sheryl Crowe, Emily Ricks pays tribute to the sound of 90s pop-rock in her latest single ‘Farewell To My Youth’. Bringing old-school guitar licks, pounding drums and slips of keyboards, the track steps away from her calm folk tunes ‘Bottom of the Sea’ and ‘First Friend’. Interestingly, while the vintage pop-rock sentiments shine brightly, the obscurity of Emily Ricks’s vocals adds uniqueness to her music. Rough and raw with a slice of poetic richness, she binds the overall melody with intriguing tones standing up to boldly bid her youth farewell.
As toe-tapping, hand-pumping and “twirl about in a crazy sense of sonic bliss” oozes from the melody, it is the lyricism that makes ‘Farewell To My Youth’ profound. Exploring the intricate process of growing up, Ricks reflects on childish beliefs and perceptions that turn out to be false – like finding out Santa Claus isn’t real. She also delves into the exhausting side of adulthood having to pay the rent and all the yucky stuff. It’s shattering but weirdly gives you hope knowing you’re not the only one who finds reality tiring.
Sincere, sentimental and insightful, ‘Farewell To My Youth’ is a complex single with a brutally honest message. I find it intriguing how this single steps away from softer folk tones of previous material – an evolution in sound, but also the sonic division from calm youthfulness and hard-hitting adulthood.
In addition to the single, Emily Ricks released an official music video for ‘Farewell To My Youth’. You can view the video below or on her YouTube channel. Please note that this video includes lighting effects and rapid image transitions that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
Find out more about Emily Ricks on her official website, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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