
This song, “London” by Emily James, is a beautiful, escapist ballad all about those feelings you have after a heartbreak where you want to leave and start a new life. With poetic, wistful lyrics, James weaves together a romanticization of leaving everything behind and moving to a new country, where everyone is new and everything you experience is fresh. Maybe you’ll fall in love with someone else, or maybe you’ll just find things to distract you - but you’re hoping to find something that makes you feel better. Slipping between feelings of sadness - with lyrics like “I’ll sipping on champagne, can’t be lonely with champagne” - and bitterness - with lyrics like “queen of giving you too much credit, never quite knew it until I let it go” - Emily James perfectly captures the whole plethora of emotions you go through when you lose someone so instrumental. You chase that fleeting idea that everything will feel better if you just leave everything behind.
“London” is an understated, heartfelt ballad that relies on soft vocals and piano melodies to dive deep and strike an emotional chord with listeners. Starting out with just isolated piano, Emily James coaxes you into the song, layering her gentle voice on top for the first verse. The instrumentation builds throughout this piece, slowly adding to the intensity as James guides you toward the bridge. This rise in intensity pairs perfectly with the rise of emotion in the lyrics, reaching a peak in the bridge, with James crooning on top of layers of atmospheric harmonies. All of this drops back for one last rendition of the chorus, returning to the simple piano and vocals before sliding to a smooth close. Overall, this song is a beautiful masterpiece of devastating wistfulness, and has quickly become a new favorite of mine.
Emily James is a rising singer/songwriter whose dynamic vocals and eloquent lyricism delve into the emotions that everyone feels but don’t necessarily understand. She sings like she’s having a conversation, creating beauty while also staying very in tune with her listeners and telling each and every story she wants to share. Her first EP, Emily James, came out in 2016, and she’s been gathering fans ever since then. Now, after several more EPs, including The aLtErNaTeS, released earlier this year, she’s gearing up to release The aLtErNaTeS part 2, continuing along the same threads of emotional confession and artistry that’s so characteristic of her. If you’re a fan of Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, or Lizzy McAlpine, use the links below to check out more of her music!
Written By Morgan Fischer
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