This week, the LA-based singer Gracie Abrams released her new single “Amelie”. "Amelie" is a laid back ballad consisting of vulnerable lyricism and soft vocals. This is Abrams’ second single of 2023 after dropping “Where do we go now?” last month; getting listeners excited for her next project.
SOUND
The instrumentation in this track is very simple, consisting of only acoustic guitar picking and occasional piano melody softly in the background, produced by The Nationals' Aaron Dessner. The vocal melody of the verses is very low and breathy, while the chorus’ melody is a strong catchy hook. The vocal performance within the last couple of choruses, however, fell flat in my opinion. While I’m sure Abrams’ choice in her shaky and fried sounding vocals was an artistic choice, I don’t think it bodes well for the track overall. This earns a 7/10 for sound on the Intersect Rating Scale.
LYRICS
This song depicts Abrams falling for a girl she only just met, singing:
She doesn't know my name
We sat on the sofa
She asked me a million questions
I answered and by eleven
Memorized her face
While the verses tell the story, the chorus is very repetitive, wondering if Amelie ever existed at all. The dichotomy between the details in the verses and the simplicity of the chorus, brings context to the song’s story overall. This earns a 8/10 for lyrics on the Intersect Rating Scale
ART BEHIND THE TRACK
While Abrams has just released the single, there is no music video that coincides with the track. However, Abrams has stayed consistent in her branding for her upcoming debut album, “Good Riddance,” with its black and white portrait photography and small intimate video clips. With promo featuring a piece written by Taylor Swift for Rolling Stones, Abrams’ persistent themes have been strong. This earns a 9/10 on the Intersect Rating Scale for her art.
Overall, this track receives an 8/10 on the Intersect Rating Scale.
Stream “Amelie” below.
~Kimi Carter, 2023