Track of the Day: Samantha Sharpe – Ghost
Melding the sounds of old-school folk, country and indie-rock with contemporary pop, Australia-based Samantha Sharpe brings the past to the present – musically, of course. While she has only been on the music scene for a few years, this young singer-songwriter has supported some established names including Allan Caswell, Sarah McLeod and The Chantoozies. Moreover, the positive response to her debut EP Gilded Cage in 2019 showed Sharpe is a star in the making. The latest addition to her critically acclaimed discography is ‘Ghost’.
Following her 2021 single ‘The Thrill Of The Chase’ (see our review here), Sharpe shows an evolution in her new track ‘Ghost’. Moving from the folk-tinged sounds of ‘The Thrill Of The Chase’ and ‘Home’, there is a more tender, stark and smooth pop meets soul sound in ‘Ghost’. Reminiscent of renowned artist Adele, the ballad sends uses a simplistic soundscape to get across the poignancy of the song.
Piano-driven, the acoustic instrumentation belies the tenderness of Sharpe’s rich vocals. The steadiness of the guitars/drums/piano combination sets a tone for a hazy, body-swaying ambience; however, the slower sound also increases the presence of vulnerability. With ‘Ghost’ Sharpe reaches into your soul, wraps her hand around your heart and makes you feel the pain in the song.
As with her previous work, Samantha Sharpe continues to explore human fragility and complexity. In ‘Ghost’ she sings about being ghosted and the vulnerability she experienced. The personal narrative adds a more intimate element connecting with listeners, making them feel the anxiety, pain and sadness. Nowadays, people in Sharpe’s generation tend to build friendships with strangers online which can work out; but then again, they can leave people an emotional wreck. Sharpe explains that ‘Ghost’ was inspired by her experience of being ghosted and needing to speak with someone about the trauma.
“I got ghosted and had a lot of pent-up emotions about it. It’s so familiar to people within this age group, I think, to talk to somebody online, to get along and then just never hear from them again. It’s strange and it leaves you with a lot of unanswered questions…I wanted to share that in a song, that I was putting myself out there and the fact that he ran was quite jarring.” – Samantha Sharpe on ‘Ghost’
For more from Samantha Sharpe check out her Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
