Setting the tone with immersive drums and keys, Jodi Heights opens her new single, White Knight with a conceptual scenario and the lyrics, “the enemy is closing in, there’s no escape, you have no fortress to defend, no army and no barricades..”
Known for her classically honed technique and the depths of her lyricism, Jodi has garnered comparisons to Sara Bareilles, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, and Regina Spektor, but upon further exploration, it is clear that Jodi is indeed in a lane of her own.
The song tells a tale of self-empowerment, “There’s not a white knight coming to save you, no hero riding to the rescue, have you forgotten that you’re a warrior?”, sings the multi-disciplinary indie-pop artist.
With her conservatory trained vocals and mastery of piano performance, Jodi takes the listener on an intense ride into musical storytelling, kicking off with the drumbeat of an incoming army, as the song expands to re-affirm what we already know, that you are your own saviour.
Uniquely, the song was inspired by a young fan who attended one of Jodi’s live concerts, drew a picture of a dragon, and asked her to write a song about it.
Speaking on the creation of the track, Jodi Heights says, “This song may have been inspired by fan art, but as I wrote, it reminded me of my own inner strength in the face of challenges.”
“The first verse of White Knight sets the dark scene: the enemy is coming, and you’re sharpening your sword and mustering up your courage. The second verse is where the dragon appears. I avoided the narrative of slaying the dragon, since I didn’t think that would go over too well with my young fan. Instead, the dragon represents strength, hidden wisdom, and instinctual power. The beast within gives you the bravery to face the impossible.”
“I decided to leave the story open ended. We never see the fight. We don’t know if the warrior wins or not, just as the outcome of our own battles is unknown. We have to give it our all for the chance to save our lives.”
This year, Jodi Heights will release her new EP entitled Triptych which focuses on urgent concerns in our modern world: climate change, the pandemic, and the growing wealth gap. Meanwhile, we have been immersing ourselves in her wider discography and have added White Knight to our New Music Spotlight playlist!