It has been a great year for Karen Harding, and an iconic build up to the release of her EP, I’ve Got A Secret, which we have been vehemently following with each single release. It started with the title track of the record, the dramatic and emotive, I’ve Got A Secret, followed by the introspective and reflective, Til The Ocean Meets The Shore, and then most recently, the escapist, Drive Away, so we couldn’t wait to hear the final instalment of the record, Letter To My Friend, and the EP as a complete body of work!
Drawing us in with emotively performed acoustic guitar arpeggios, Karen Harding delicately sings “I’m sorry for the words you’ve been told, it must hurt to know it’s unknown, everything around your place keeps telling me it will all be ok, but what, what if it’s not?”
The opus expands into Karen’s signature soundscape with the addition of strings and keys as Karen delivers her poetic prowess with meaningful lyrics and introspective narratives.
Letter To My Friend takes on a more minimalist vibe with a maximalist themes as the heart-wrenching track acts as “a processing of difficult news, a plea that things will get better, and a journey to acknowledgement of the strength that these people already possess.”
Speaking on the release, Karen says with depth and compassion, “Letter To My Friend is the most personal and heartfelt single on my whole EP. The song was written at a time when so many people around me were becoming unwell and receiving difficult news. Being during lockdowns, I was unable to be there during these times. This song was my way of processing the emotions that I was feeling and led me to the point where I could see their strength in overcoming these challenges.”
Likened to the sounds of Eva Cassidy, Sarah McLachlan and Karen Carpenter, Karen Harding’s music features alluring and ethereal vocals at the forefront, complimented by an instrumental soundscape that will send you soaring within a dreamland of imagination.
We adore the record as a whole and cohesive EP, and have added all of the songs to our New Music Spotlight playlist! We learn that Karen is currently working on a couple of singles, set for release in the coming months, with an amazing family in Argentina, and incorporating the skills of an incredible world class orchestra.