Katy J Pearson returns with new track ‘These Goodbyes’ as she announces her third album
Katy J Pearson returns with a glitchy then glorious indie pop outing, ‘Those Goodbyes’. It’s been a while now since her standout 2022 record, Sounds Of The Morning, and while her 2023 soundtrack EP, The Wicker Man, provided a folky fill of her vocals, it’s so good to have her unique lyricism back.
But as she announces her new album, Someday, Now, ‘Those Goodbyes’ signals that it’s about to be very different. Previously, Pearson has always existed in the realm of tender toe-tappers. While they occasionally swell to big band moments, she’s always remained folk-tinged. Yet, as this new track opens us, gone are the acoustic guitars. Instead, the opener hits you immediately with haunt, slightly creepy, glitchy vocals, declaring, “May the wind be always at your back”.
With the chant, it’s easy to be tripped up and think the song is about to launch into more uncanny, pagan-powered cinematic work like her recent EP. Instead, ‘Those Goodbyes’ breaks into a pure and simple, catchy indie-pop hit as Pearson breaks down the doors on her boldest era yet.
Paired with cover art in bold red, the song feels like Pearson demanding more attention and more space, finally ready to grab the mic stand with both hands. Even the production credit shows that her sights are set on larger, more expansive things as Nathan Jenkins has previously worked with the likes of Carly Rae Jepson, Nilufer Yanya and Ben Howard, all dominating the worlds of cool indie and pop, and all making anthemic hits.
Lyrically, though, it’s the same Pearson her fans know and love. Even in the song’s big singalong chorus, she considers the end of things with a distinct nuance and intimacy. Even as she blows her sound up to new and exciting scales, it’s nice to see that the tender observation of the words isn’t lost in the fray.
Clearly able to balance the move to bolder sounds while maintaining the magic that has always powered her, this new era seems to spell big things for Katy J Pearson.
The single signals the announcement of her third album, Someday, Now, which is out on September 20th on Heavenly Recordings.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.