Birdy has taken the whole "new year, new me" approach and it seems to have worked to an extent. Her new single is an interesting step in a new direction for the artist, but at times lacks the confidence to carry itself.
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When one thinks of Birdy, they tend to think of a chilling voice, haunting lyrics, and the homegrown feel created by either a guitar or piano. However, Birdy’s new single ‘Keeping Your Head Up’ heads in a different direction.
As soon as the track begins, you get the sense that this is something brand new- the quick piano riff, and the added synth is clearly more ‘pop’ than the usual tone that Birdy’s music goes for. Then the drum track kicks in and it is made clear- that yes: this is definitely something new.
To be honest, it’s quite refreshing, and I think that as a first track for a new genre for her, the young artist has done pretty well. However, I do think that at times, it doesn’t quite keep up. It’s almost as if, although she is stepping into this new genre, her influences are still firmly set in the last. Don’t get me wrong, I like the track, and I’m rather excited to see where the rest of her new material this year takes her. It’s catchy and makes for easy listening, and I’m intrigued whether the rest of the new album will follow suit.
She’s a talented musician, and her voice is as beautiful as ever, it’s just a little bit jarring to hear it in a different setting.
On the whole though, it works, and it’s exciting. I miss the simplicity of her songs with just her and her piano, but I think that with time, it won’t be missed too much. A strong start to the New Year for Birdy, indeed.
Keeping Your Head Up is out now via Atlantic Records UK.
