Spotlight: Rebecca McCartney Releases Debut EP "How You Feel"
You may have heard of her from our previous blog post, but this artist has made a huge accomplishment and we thought it deserved to be celebrated! As the holidays pick up, it is the perfect time of the year to talk about the various parts of love and the tension it creates.
Rebecca McCartney
This singer-songwriter was initially raised in NYC. After doing some traveling, she has returned home to the city, and with a powerful message. With over 1,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, this talented artist has always had one thing in common with her music. The statement that you are never alone. Over 1,000 monthly listeners on Spotify are extremely significant having all of her released work been from this year. This is also an over 200 increase from the last time we spoke about her. Go, Rebecca! If there is one takeaway from her statistics, it is that hard work most certainly can pay off, if you do it well. And what do you think of when you think of New York City? For some, it’s business (like Wall St.), some its college (such as Columbia, or Fordham), and for others, it is a place of travel or holidays. The one hidden gem of NYC, though? Classical music. And Classical music is what inspired Rebecca to begin releasing music. Rebecca had previously studied Jazz and played in an R & B band, though finally decided with this love, to release her own series of works.
“How You Feel”
The 5-track EP starts out more upbeat and optimistic. In both instrumentation and vocals, the song, Remember Less, starts out with some sadder lyrics, which compliment the positive, upbeat instrumentation that the song has. This song, in particular, sticks to Rebecca’s roots with R&B and Classical music, while adding a unique twist. That being, the vocals are sung in a more Classical-Rock vocal, and the song builds up to a heavier sound with the guitars.
Just Air starts out with minimal sound, which is a twist from Rebecca’s prior work. This song in particular is great for studying music as we are heading into finals season for many college students. The harmonies in this song add an extra layer to the calming and relaxing vibes that Rebecca was clearly going for. This song in particular is a true love-struck song that many people in relationships can understand the meaning behind. Just Air is also great for slow dancing at weddings or proms.
Undone has a very familiar vibe to it, especially with the introduction to the song. Despite this, the vocals are a change to familiarity. With her soft vocals, Rebecca adds an extra layer, with the chorus being the most tragic part of the whole song, lyrically. This song, in particular, has clear roots in Rebecca’s history, while the added vocal layers create a more dynamic twist to Rebecca’s discography.
You can read our review of For Avery, In June here
Behind Closed Doors is the final track of the EP and most definitely the most underrated. The song starts out faster compared to the prior 4 tracks we covered just now. The vocals continue to be soft, though the difference in this track is that the lyrics are sung with more intensity compared to the others. The lyrics provide a unique take and wrap up the EP well. This song in particular talks about the toxicity of a prior relationship, mentioning several red flags. This song is great for survivors of abusive relationships, as the song can remind them about the reasons they left that relationship.
Overall
In short, Rebecca has definitely outdone herself with this EP, adding a combination of new and older tracks to her Debut EP. The songs provide a clear picture of an unhealthy relationship and allow for everyone to learn and grow from her past experiences with love. Slow and steady wins the race, and it is clearly working for Rebecca who is slowly growing her Spotify listeners’ count through consistent, yet diverse releases. Her various takes between mental health and love, are the topics that many of her fans need to hear about. And thus, creating a strong and supportive community. Overall, a calming, yet darkening release.
Written by: Blake Matthews (he/him)
