Track Review: Mehalal Ray // Nevermind
Performing under the moniker Mehalah Ray, Cambridge-based Rachel Clark shares her simple and endearing form of folk. Clark began performing at the age of 14 around her hometown; thus, securing a place in the local music scene and gaining a loyal following. Skip forward a few years and we have a 22-year-old singer-songwriter entrancing listeners with her angelic voice. Despite being a rather young artist, Clark has received notable coverage for her music ranging from features on BBC Introducing West Yorkshire with her EP Unforgivable to airtime on BBC Radio 6 by Tom Robinson. The latest addition to her discography is the single ‘Nevermind’.
Recorded at long distance between Cambridge and Leeds, ‘Nevermind’ is a warm and powerful four-minute single – well, actually just under four minutes, but that’s neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things. A “coming-of-age” single, the narrative touches on issues of confusion, frustration, toxic relationships, but with a sense of self-empowerment and acknowledgement of one’s situation.
“I had a very confusing year where I was over-working myself and trying to stay present at all times when actually it was extremely self-destructive. I had to make the decision to let things go and disconnect in order to move forward more healthily. ‘Nevermind’ is basically a track that embodies a big sigh of relief after doing the hard work of setting yourself free.” – Rachel Clark on ‘Nevermind’
Combining insightful lyricism over warm and authentic instrumentation, Clark maintains a dynamic and charming indie-folk track with pop undertones. Steady drums, basic guitar and siren-esque vocals meld together to form a fantastical and captivating sound. In my opinion, it is the simplicity of ‘Nevermind’ that makes it both a tactful and candid track controlling emotions while spewing raw, uninhibited enthusiasm.