Track Review: White Lies // Anna Mae Kelly
At only 17 years of age, UK-based Anna Mae Kelly is already making a name for herself as a singer-songwriter on an international level. The young artist embraced music at a young age singing professionally at age 8, writing songs at 13 and teaching herself to play the piano and guitar. Now we find her reaching audiences across the globe releasing several singles in 2020 and featuring on various online radio stations (including Amazing Radio and iHeart). The latest addition to her well-received discography is the single ‘White Lies’.
Following her critically acclaimed single ‘Waver’, ‘White Lies’ is a slower, steadier song with haunting melodic arrangements. Combining the acoustic-inspired guitars, piano and interspersed strings, Anna Mae moves from a toe-tapping sound to something far darker. Plunging you into a swirl of sound, the soothing instrumentation creates a hazy ambience in which you can be lost. Yet, while the melody has a soul-stirring element, it is Anna Mae’s vocals that make the song.
Unlike ‘Waver’ where Anna Mae showcases the richness, boldness and vibrancy of her vocals, ‘White Lies’ has a spine-chilling quality to the execution. Yes, her tone and timbre remain breath-taking, but the poignancy of ‘White Lies’ adds to the hushed intimacy of Anna Mae’s voice. Using a personal narrative, Anna Mae explores issues of broken relationships, self-blame, anxiety and heartache. The vulnerability is clear with each soothing syllable telling more of her heartsick tale.
“‘White Lies’ is the first song I’ve written wrapped in deep feelings. The song is about being with someone who is bad for you. Someone you really wished you had never met, yet you can’t stop thinking what could have been if you could fix a broken relationship… I do know how it feels to be hurt and made to believe the problems in the relationship were your fault, to feel as if the reason you are left broken and burnt is nobody else’s problem but your own. I hope people hear and feel the lyrics the same way I did writing them.” – Anna Mae Kelly on ‘White Lies’
Inspired by the likes of Elton John and Freddie Mercury, Anna Mae Kelly is eager to provoke audiences with her insightful music. With true passion, ‘White Lies’ is a dip into the grittiness of reality and is a sonic representation of the grimy cruelness of life. I am always impressed by the sophistication of this singer and I look forward to many more of these evocative singles.