Rowlette - 'Letters'
Irish artist Rowlette puts confessional lyricism at the forefront of her sound on ‘Letters’, an intimate indie pop track that explores the theme of lost friendship.
Rowlette takes a less is more approach on ‘Letters’, a gentle song that makes use of spacious, sparse arrangements, seeing a tenderness shine through in its gentle guitar, playful bass melodies and mellow piano rhythm. Rowlette contrasts this with subtle dramatics, seeing the song ebb and flow with sturdy percussive rhythms representing the emotional turbulence in the song’s lyrics. Rowlette’s vocal is strong and instantly evocative, keeping her listener emotionally invested with her storytelling as she addresses a friend who has fallen out of touch with her, explaining:
“We were always those kind of friends who could go ages without talking, but when we did it was completely normal. Except this time it was radio silence. He had a tendency to shut himself off from people when life got hard, so I was especially concerned. He lived in a different country, and it got to the point where my only option was to write a letter. It had been so long since I had sent one that I wasn’t even convinced it would arrive! I wrote the song during the time I was waiting for a response when there was a lot going through my mind - does he know there’s people who care about him? Does he know I care? Was I there for him enough? Why has he shut himself off?”
‘Letters’ is a deeply personal and personable song that champions the importance of reaching out to, and maintaining relationships with, the people you care for.
Words of Karla Harris