Establishing the mood with emotive and cinematic guitar arpeggios with a subtle breath, Lois Powell opens Who Am I Now? with introspective depth and a delicate, astral timbre as she sings, “Who am I now you’re gone? When rain clouds clear, bright skies beckon…”
We appreciate the poetic prowess, the raw authenticity and the high emotional quotient that manifest. Lois Powell reminds us of early Lana Del Rey songs, notably Shades of Cool. The instrumentation is stripped back yet sublime, bringing to life the poignancy of Lois’ reflective message of loss.
Her soulful nature and lived experience shine through, which of course is personal – specifically about her dog, but also feels universally relatable about death in general. The cinematic allure is tangible, perfect for a James Bond 007 film, or perhaps a Sofia Coppola or Luca Guadagnino release.
Lois confesses, “When my dog was put down I wrote this poem. I believe I sang this song to him before he died in anticipation. A few months later I got the poem out as mat chose some random chords and the song was born in the moment.”
We learn that Lois Powell is a singer-songwriter from Norfolk, England, who created Who Am I Now? alongside long-time collaborator Mat Roberts. The pair met at an open mic and went on to record multiple albums together using a spontaneous, improvisational approach.
The song was recorded at Effort Studios in Mat’s home, captured straight to tape using an analogue recorder, which gives it this warm and intimate sound. Her vocal delivery on Who Am I Now? has been widely compared to Joan Baez, particularly the emotive, deep and sensual tone heard in Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Who Am I Now? to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Lois Powell, including Lost My Way Home, and Pain.