Guestlist is Katie Gregson-MacLeod’s latest release. It’s a diary piece, made to be honest and relatable. She reflects the experience of many women her age, watching the world pass her by, specifically the world of her former partner, feeling stuck and lost. She carries themes of others' perception of her throughout the song. Speaking of her social media use as a career, perhaps not respectable in real life as she comments on it being “cringe” and states the potential future partner of her ex would have a “real job”. So, she doesn’t want to be seen as using this for a living and yet the entire career itself is being seen, “it’s all about content”, she recites. She states she started smoking cigarettes during this relationship, she is “blaming sober thoughts on overdrinking”, she’ll “be happy for you but unhappy”, it’s a contest to be the most content. To be the most successful, at peace, to live in the moment longer than those around her. She is consistently aware of how she doesn’t fit the image of what her partner, and the general public, may expect of her and then she makes this her image. Stuck being unhappy at 23.
The song begins with an echo, the note that plays would sound imperfect, or out of tune by itself, but here it creates this unique beat that sets the tone for Katie’s original approach to music. When she begins singing, in her instantly recognizable voice, acoustic guitar backs her. It is heartfelt, slow but not melancholic. When the music picks up, her voice seems to stay at the same pace, perhaps an ingenious nod to the theme of being still as those around her pass her by, but regardless of intent it sounds incredible and offers an emotional track while keeping the listener entertained. The song has long pauses for instrumentals that don’t disappoint, giving time to reflect on Katie Gregson-MacLeod’s poetry. After one of these pauses, she recites the chorus again and ends somewhat abruptly on that line, “I’ll be happy for you but unhappy and 23”.
Katie Gregson-MacLeod is a fairly new artist, her first single being released in 2020. But even with this, she’s gaining popularity quickly. Her debut EP “Games I Play” gained support from BBC Radio 1 and she was named in BBC Scotland’s 25 Artists To Watch just two years after her initial debut. Her social media is also extremely popular holding over 240k followers on Tiktok and 45k on Instagram. She’s originally from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands but her music is reaching much further, especially with “The Big Red Tour” in which she will travel across Europe. Find details on how to attend in her social media below and stream “Guestlist” now.
Written By Hailey Schap
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