Today, up-and-coming Irish artist Lucy McWilliams releases “Break My Own Heart,” the new indie pop rock song about sabotaging yourself and your personal relationships.
“Break My Own Heart” starts slow with McWilliams’s sweet vocals floating over a low droning bass, then picks up as it begins to lead into the first chorus. The first chorus repeats a few times, building more and more each time. As the song progresses, we’re introduced to more sounds and textures, like an acoustic guitar juxtaposing with soft shimmery bells. A major strength of this song lies in its rhythm section– it works incredibly well to drive the song forward while the main melody wafts dreamily and fluidly above it. The rhythm, carried both by a drum kit and rhythm guitar, take this from a bedroom pop song to an enticing indie pop/rock song. Another a strength is McWilliams’s unique voice, it’s whispery tone is akin to Billie Eilish, but has a soulful side to it that lends itself well to the emotional subject matter of the song.
Lyrically, “Break My Own Heart” is a reflection of McWilliams’s insecurities while she’s in a long-term, serious relationship. “Break My Own Heart is about self-sabotage within a relationship,” she writes. “Being scared of being close to someone so you intentionally push them away before they can cause heartbreak to you. It’s that fear of rejection and preparing yourself for the hurt before they can hurt you.”
With these lyrics over such a powerful instrumentation, we have to believe all of it works together to showcase how loud these intrusive, self-doubtful thoughts are. Like the song, they start quiet and build over time until you’ve ruined something you once loved. Though sad, this situation is one that often leaves us feeling alone. Instead, there’s comfort here knowing that it’s universal.
Lucy McWilliams, born in Ireland and educated in Germany, now resides in London where she’s pursuing her music career. She’s spent the last year perfecting her sound with her collaborator, Charlie Hugall. In addition to ``Break My Own Heart'', McWilliams has released two other sounds to officially mark the launch of her musical endeavor– “Medication” and “The Woman in Me,” both piano ballads acclaimed for their vulnerability. She’s also performed across Europe in cities like Paris, Dublin, and London. She is returning to Ireland later this year to participate in the festival circuit with her new music.
Written by Jess Ward
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