Jamie Rafferty’s debut single ‘Back At 25’ introduced a bold and authentic new artist, whose songwriting talents have everything it takes to make waves in the UK music scene – and beyond. Jamie now shares an equally compelling second single in the shape of ‘So I Can Let Her Go’. Listen HERE.
After the Sam Fender and Bruce Springsteen echoes in the urgent ‘Back At 25’, ‘So I Can Let Her Go’ finds Jamie detouring into the timeless sounds of Americana. Written in (and inspired by) Nashville during his first trip to the US, it’s a broken-hearted love song with an unexpected trip as he urges someone to whisk an old flame away so he can move on – the antithesis, he notes, to Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’. Musically it unfolds with a brilliant unhurried pace, like a classic western, laced with subtle textures, rich vocal harmonies and gorgeously natural production.
Jamie says, “Being in Nashville had a really strong influence on the song and the way we wrote it. Some of my favourite writers have strong ties to the city, John Prine and Willie Nelson being a few. We decided to lean into the storytelling style of song and came up with this idea of flipping Jolene by Dolly Parton on its head, instead of begging someone not to take your partner away, I was begging someone to take mines away so I could begin to move on. I loved the whole process of creating this song with Elliott and Owen, it was so different from how I would usually write but definitely unlocked a side to my writing. “
Both songs introduce Jamie Rafferty’s storytelling flair. He writes what he knows: of small towns like his home village in Croy, Scotland, of humble, hard-working people and the characters he grew up with, of the love and compassion he finds there. But as ‘So I Can Let Her Go’ shows, his lyrics can also identify the sweet spot between fictional tales and common experiences, reflecting how famous local stories change over time. Other songs, meanwhile, are more introspective.
‘So I Can Let Her Go’ and ‘Back At 25’ both feature on his upcoming debut EP ‘Detached Observations’ out 4th September, which features collaborators including Seton Daunt (Yungblud, Jack Savoretti), Owen Lewis (Leonard Cohen, Paolo Nutini, Matt Maeson),Elliott Blaufuss (Noah Kahan, Goldford, Phillip Phillips) and solo artist / producer Luke Sital-Singh.
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